Getting Into The Spirit In Popeye's Hometown
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Nothing captures the imagination better than a good ghost story. When these tales of the supernatural are backed by centuries of historical documentation and eye witness accounts, the chills can be delightful. The unique thrill this form of entertainment elicits is what prompted the Popeye Picnic Committee to launch their Sea Hag History and Mystery Tours in 2005. This event has sold out quickly for the last three years of excursions. Now back by overwhelming demand, the extremely popular bus tour will include stops that allow the courageous an opportunity to enter two haunted sites.
The air-conditioned, video enhanced bus excursion begins near the Gazebo Park in the heart of Chester, and then introduces its passengers to over 10 miles of legends and lore connected to this historic city. To ensure that each guest encounters a spirit of their own choosing, a beverage (soft drink or beer) will be provided at the first stop, the haunted Olde Landmark Inn. The tour concludes with an eerie encounter at the Chester Public Library, an edifice that contains more stories than those housed in the books they offer.
This 90 minute tour is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6th, with excursions beginning promptly at 7pm, 9pm and 11pm each night. Tickets are available at Spinach Can Collectibles (618-826-4567). Seating is limited to 45 people per tour, and tickets must be pre-purchased in order to guarantee a seat. Although parental discretion is advised (due to the thematic nature of ghost stories) this is an event you will not want to miss! Further information regarding the many events being offered at this year's festival may be found at www.popeyepicnic.com.
As an additional item of interest …….. just last week a member of the Popeye Picnic Committee was photographing the Mississippi River and our Chester Bridge at dusk. Luckily his rapid shot camera caught four images, or we wouldn't have these spectacular photos today. Upon development, each successive picture shows an image forming just off Chester's shoreline. The last shot, although understandably blurry due to his uncontrollable nerves, clearly hosts a transparent pirate ship approaching the darkening bank. Subsequent photos do not contain any traces of the ghostly visitor. The photographer wishes to remain anonymous, yet the Popeye Picnic Committee seeks anyone with further information or similar sightings of the paranormal within our city's borders. Any submissions will be treated with the utmost confidence, and possibly be used in future haunted tours. Please send all letters to the Popeye Picnic Committee, P.O. Box 146, Chester, IL 62233.
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