Motif Event Picks for November 16 – November 22

THRU DEC 2

The Flu Season, Burbage Theatre Company, Aurora, 276 Westminster St, PVD. Make sure to get your flu shot before seeing this play written before the audience’s eyes about two hospital patients falling in love. burbagetheatre.org Runs Nov 4 – Dec 2

THRU DEC 31

A Christmas Carol, Trinity Rep, 201 Washington St, PVD. A Rhode Island family holiday tradition. Odds are this won’t be the only production around this season, but it is always a standout, starting earlier each season because of its tendency to sell out. trinityrep.com

NOV 17

Silverteeth: With Man & Wife and Rick Polesno. 7pm, Firehouse 13 Americana Living Room, 41 Central St, PVD. fh13.com. fh13.com

NOV 19

The Monkees: The 50th Anniversary Tour, When four young men were cast in the television roles of a struggling rock band inspired by The Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night, few could have predicted the impact The Monkees would make on music and pop culture at large. 8pm, Twin River, 100 Twin River Rd, Lincoln. Twinriver.com

SUN 20

Ralph Vaughan Williams: Hodie (This Day): A joyful Christmas cantata as part of The Chorus of Westerly Symphonic Series. 4pm and 6pm. George Kent Performance Hall, 119 High Street, Westerly. chorusofwesterly.org

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Comic Con: The Con That Ate PVD (in a good way)

RI Comic Con is like that radioactive mutant that just won’t stop growing. But in a good way. This year’s event once again took over the entire Convention Center and Dunkin Donuts Center, and pretty much all the hotels, bars, restaurants, arcades and parking spots downtown PVD had to offer.

Saturday was a fully sold-out crowd, and the estimated total attendance over three days was 75,000. That’s up from about 60,000 last year, but the overall feel of the crowd was generally less stressful, because the event was spread over that third day (thank you, Veterans Day, for falling on a Friday this year). With such a massive number of humans, many

Family of Wonder! of them eccentric, there are sure to be snags and snafus, but the event overall has become more smoothly run each year, and this was true to that course. Behind the scenes, it seemed to be coordinated and happy – no last-minute lock-outs, magically disappearing booths or fits of online nerd rage. Schedules were accessible, events as easy to find as they can be in the sometimes labyrinthine building, and even the weather cooperated.

RI Comic Con gathers such a large number of celebrity guests that one or two drop-outs rarely make any difference. Miss Kate Beckinsale (who basically got called in for her day job)? Go check out Gal Godot. There was something for everyone, from Power Rangers to voiceover artists to comic book creators to illustrators to professional wrestlers.

There were also intense break-away sessions. One hall was dedicated to gaming – board and role playing. Another to Sci-Fi Speed Dating, and one to the art and philosophy of cosplay. Seminars included publishing tips, illustration advice, voiceover tips and numerous other topics. There was even a mock-up of the reality show “Hellevator” hosted by local horrifier AV from The Viennagram (a local spectacle rock band). The two drivers that really make entering Comic Con feel like stepping onto another planet are the vendors – the hundreds of vendors present an insane variety of geeky purchasing and browsing options – and the cosplayers. Gracious guests bring the con to life by democratizing the entertainment, and some of the costumes (and in-character behavior) are jaw-dropping.

This year saw an expected plethora of Wonder Women, in all shapes, sizes and from all eras (she’s had a lot of outfits over the years). It didn’t hurt that Gal Godot, star of the upcoming Wonder Woman film, was in attendance. We caught the amusing spectacle of security (efficient yet reasonable, but mostly not pop-culture nerds) trying to figure out how to properly search a life size Dalek (see “Doctor Who”) as it entered. There were Hulks, Thors, Captain Americas, a gaggle of 8-foot tall Velociraptors and a full contingent of ghostbusters. An 8-foot-tall Grodd was stomping around for a while, and RI’s native monsters from Big NAZO were on patrol — and that’s only scratching the surface. Probably 10% of the attendees were in serious, “that took some effort and skill” costumery.

Here are some highlights from panel talks over the course of the weekend – with apologies in advance because we were only able to hit a small fraction of them.

Stan Lee delighted audiences with his reminiscences. Due to age and health concerns, this was Mr. Lee’s last trip to the East Coast – but you will doubtless see his cameos in more upcoming Marvel films.

Gal Godot spoke well in English – which is her third or fourth language – about the tribulations of playing Wonder Woman. She was joined, unexpectedly, by Ray Fisher, who plays Cyborg in the upcoming big-budget Justice League film. When panel hostess Clare Kramer (big bad Glory from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) asked what it was like first stepping into the iconic costume, Godot said, “Tight.”

She elaborated that she was, “So excited, I said it was fine, but really I couldn’t even breathe.” Things were loosened up later, and she did eventually breathe. She also described her rigorous training regimen: “Lots of horseback riding, which was awesome and … painful. Lots of martial arts, which was awesome and painful. It was great, but I’m so happy I’m done with it!”

Summer Glau (Serenity, “Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles”) had a comfortable chat with her audience, revealing that while she’d always loved performance as a ballerina, she started taking acting classes in part to get over anxiety about public speaking. That’s certainly come a long way. She also confessed her favorite line to date: “Also, I can kill you with my brain.” (from “Firefly”) and described the empowerment of playing a Terminator – “Everything is breakaway. So I grab a car door handle, and the door comes flying off. I hit a door, and it bursts into pieces. It’s pretty empowering.”

In his panel, John Ratzenberger (Cliff from “Cheers,” and at least one character from every Pixar movie), described his early acting experiences (“I kept expecting one of my school teachers to show up and say, ‘What’s he doing here with all these famous people? He got Cs and Ds. He doesn’t belong here.’”). He talked about not taking his work home – his children thought he was a carpenter when they were young, because that’s all they saw him do. He also revealed his secret to getting a role in every Pixar movie made for the big screen so far: “They called and asked me to do a voice for a toy, and I said, ‘OK.’ Then they asked me to do another one, and I said, ‘OK.’ Then they just kept calling. I actually thought it might be a clerical error – a computer glitch or something. But I kept saying yes.”

Millie Bobby Brown, the not-yet-13-year-old actress who captured hearts as the mysterious “11” in this year’s runaway Netflix hit “Stranger Things,” handled her audience like a trained conductor with an orchestra. Her energy and joie-de-vivre kept an audience of hundreds engaged and wondering what she’d do next. She opened and closed her session with a “mannequin challenge” – live tweeting a video of a posed crowd not moving. She was joined halfway through by her 4-year old sister Ava, a scene- stealer who claimed to have no interest in acting because she’s “too shy,” but then didn’t hesitate to take the mic and advocate for her favorite name for the family’s new dog (“Ralph”). The British actress, born in Spain and living in the US, had an unexpected accent and was astutely interviewed by Tami Stronach, the former child star who played the Childlike Empress in The Neverending Story. Ms. Brown also showed up unexpectedly from the audience in cameos during other panels (once startling one of our reporters with an unexpected shout-out from 6 inches behind him). If she keeps that energy as she grows, it seems this young lady is going to be showing up a lot.

“The Walking Dead” panel bore no real surprises, but was buoyed by the comfortable buddy-comedy vibe between actors Josh McDermitt and Michael Cudlitz, who played Eugene and Abraham, long- suffering comrades in zombie decapitation on the show.

Billy Dee Williams was one of the keynote attendees. He was mellow and relaxed, talking about his entire filmography (not just the Landau Calrissian parts). If anything, he was most invigorated discussing his Colt 45 beer commercials – yes, he really does like the taste. He was able to share that, while he felt Landau’s cape was essential to the character, he has no interest in bringing it back as a fashion trend. And when asked about the theory that Finn (from the recent Star Wars: The Force Awakens) might be his son, he simply said, “No.” He didn’t know (or couldn’t say) whether he’d have a cameo in a future Star Wars installment. “I am the sort of guy who will go and do my thing and get paid and go home. Outside of that, I’ve led an eclectic life. I want to be remembered as Billy Dee Williams. The first Landau, but the first in a number of roles. Being number one – that comes and goes; but being first, that’s historic,” he explained.

Overall, the vibe at this year’s Comic Con was cheerful and supportive. Despite the record crowds – and the occasional bottleneck, or 6-hour wait to say hi to Stan Lee – things were overall chill, yet awe- inducing, and left us eagerly anticipating the next time Planet Comic Con spins into Providence orbit – doubtless at a new mutant scale. “If you liked that,” says Comic Con PR Director Susan Soares, “Keep your eyes open for TerrorCon in February!”

Providence Community Libraries to Hold Alternative Comic Con

Growing up, I was discouraged from embracing my nerdy side and letting my geek flag fly. So when Comic Con became an actual viable thing I could attend as an adult (who had recently abandoned all geeky inhibitions and embraced geekdom fully and unconditionally), I was thrilled. Four years later, it’s not only going strong, but has become a major RI event. However, for those confident enough to have embraced their wonderfulness at a young age, sometimes the price of a day pass can be a bit of a hardship. Who can save these teens who want a chance to attend a comic con? Those youngest Whovins, Trekkies and Hobbits living among us? They needed a superhero, and not only were these superheroes not hard to find, they were found where superheroes have been for years: a local library. The Providence Community Libraries, to be exact. Our superheroes in this case are the youth services librarian at Mount Pleasant Library, Emily LeMay, and Olneyville Library’s manager, Sarah Gluck.

This dynamic duo has been planning an event for their community since last winter, and are about to watch all their hard work unfold at Providence Community Library’s Alternative Comic Con. And this isn’t just a half rate event with a few science project display boards; this is the real deal.

Co-organizer Emily explained, “We have been extremely lucky to have Walker Mettling of Providence Comics Consortium on board with the idea from the start.” Jeremy Ferris, who designed their flyer with Walker Mettling, was also on board, as were the ladies of Dirt Palace in Olneyville. This alternative comic con isn’t meant to be seen as a detractor from the official RI Comic Con, rather it was organized out of love and concern for the community.

“The idea is to create a FREE family- and teen-oriented event that builds community and gives teens access to local organizations that foster creativity,” said Emily. The Alternative Comic Con will feature Providence Roller Derby, Big Nazo and City Arts. Families in attendance will meet local artists, including jewelry makers and people who create GIFs. Anything that builds community in our capitol creative city is a positive event in my opinion. Of course events like cost money to run, and funding for underfunded libraries doesn’t fall from trees.

“We have very little funding, but we have big imaginations and are excited to bring a creative event like this to our teens and families.” Emily continued, “Attendees will have a chance to meet local artists who are making a living doing what they love, so that might inspire visitors to do the same.”

And who says that you can’t go to both comic cons? I know I will! For the smallest state in the country, we are stuffed with creativity, ingenuity and talent. There’s more than enough room for two fabulous events in one state. And by offering an alternative event, Emily LeMay and Sarah Gluck are teaching us a vital lesson: Not all superheroes wear capes — some of them read books.

In addition to the Alternative Comic Con taking place at Mount Pleasant Library on the 12th, the nine Providence Community Libraries will feature smaller events and activities throughout the week beginning on the 7th. For more information, go to provcomlib.org

Motif’s 5 Event Picks of the Week: October 26 – November 1

THU 27

A Frightmare on Dike Street: At Shelter Bar Arcade, Halloween extravaganza! Costume contest, DJs and great drinks! 7pm, 21+, Fete Ballroom, 103 Dike St, PVD. fetemusic.com FRI 28

Mysterium – The Eternal Masquerade: An immersive, arts-inspired Halloween adventure like no other with live performances and signature food and drink. Costumes not required, but black and white Arabian Nights inspired dress recommended. Masks will be provided. 7:30pm, Providence Public Library, 150 Empire St, PVD. provlib.givezooks.com

SAT 29

Cirque Mechanics: You’ve never seen a circus like this.. 7:30pm, The Vets, 1 Avenue of the Arts, PVD. thevetsri.com See story motifri.com/cirquemechanics

Luigis Haunted Mansion: Hosted by Tight Crew. Dress up like Mario characters and enjoy this larger than life EDM party of video game & Halloween-themed decor, confetti cannons, vendor village, over 20 DJs both national & international, 1000s of smiling faces and so much more! 6pm, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. themetri.com

TUE 1

Henry Rollins: A mix of timely commentary on the current state of politics with anecdotes about his latest LA experiences and perspective gained from his extensive world travels. 9pm, The Met, 1005 Main St, Pawtucket. themetri.com

Queen Boudicca: A Metal Opera to Rock Your Socks Off

On October 29, RISD will host Queen Boudicca: A Metal Opera, an epic performance that tells the story of an ancient Celtic queen. Don’t think you’ll have to sit through a bunch of high-pitched Italian singing and all those ridiculous wigs. It’s an opera in the sense that it uses music and lyrics to tell a story, and judging by the few tracks I’ve heard, it’s exactly the kind of double bass drum, blazing riffs and screaming that metal fans would want.

This ambitious project sprang from the mind of Bob Schlink, a native Rhode Islander and Associate Professor of Music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. It’s a labor of love for Schlink, who spent six years developing it before he even heard a note of it.

“My son Rob is actually a bit of Celtic myth and history buff, and we were working on a Celtic-flavored metal project,” said Schlink. “It didn’t end up materializing, but soon after I saw a documentary about Queen Boudicca on the History channel. It really stuck in my mind, and I thought ‘I have to turn this into something.’”

The play’s tagline is “Everyone would know the courage of Boudicca if she had been a man,” which, judging by the story, is probably true. Most of what we know comes from the Roman historian Tacitus, but the CliffsNotes are that Boudicca’s husband Prasutagus ruled the Iceni, a tribe in eastern Britain. He was an ally of Rome, but when he died, his will was ignored and the Romans moved in on their turf.

The play follows Boudicca as she takes up the leadership mantle and leads her people in a savage revolt against the Romans, in which an estimated 80,000 people were killed! If that’s not a plot barbarous enough for a metal opera, I invite you to leave a better one in the comments section. “Most people don’t know this story, in part because Romans wrote the history books, and their opinion of women may have been even worse than Donald Trump’s,” said Schlink.

Playing the title role is Ava Gaudet, a Providence native best known for appearing in RENT on Broadway and the TV show Ugly Betty. Adrienne Cowan, who fronts the Boston-based metal band Seven Spires, will take on the role of the warrior Asceawa, Boudicca’s second in command.

The piece premiered last spring at the Berklee Performance Center and drew a respectable 500-plus crowd, but Schlink is excited to see the progress the show has made. “The first time around, we didn’t have a lot of time for technical rehearsal, and pretty much had to wing things like lighting. This time, we’ve hired a sound crew and have had more time to prep the technical elements, so I’m really excited to show it off.”

Schlink went as far as adapting ancient instruments, including the warrior’s lyre, the war carnyx and war horns. “I discovered that the warrior’s lyre fits perfectly with the metal. That thing sounds way more like Green Day than some dude playing guitar at a cocktail party!” The six-foot-high war trumpets are something you won’t be seeing at most rock concerts, either.

Nothing will get you in the spirit of Halloween like costumes, metal and good old-fashioned violence, so be sure to check out Queen Boudicca: A Metal Opera on October 29.

QUEEN BOUDICCA a Metal Opera will be presented at Rhode Island School of Design Auditorium, 7 Canal Walk, Providence River Greenway, Providence, on Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 8pm. Tickets can be purchased at levelexchange.ticketleap.com/qbamo/dates/Oct-29-2016_at_0800PM

For other upcoming dates and other info, visit queenboudiccametalopera.com

Halloween Highlight: Luigi’s Haunted Mansion

All zombie-d up with somewhere to haunt this Halloween? Fear not, creative and brave readers!

Among other great (albeit, non-EDM) spooky spectacles happening this month, one that’s certain to bring you all the right tricks is Luigi’s Haunted Mansion.

This 6pm – 1am dance party is hosted by Tight Crew, the event throwers who’ve brought us fantastically freaky events like Creatures of the Night and The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Crew is shaking things up for Halloween this year, and in this case, change is awesome! If you aren’t familiar with Tight Crew events, here’s some background: For about 10 years, the Providence-based production company has made a habit of creating extremely memorable experiences featuring the best of the best — music, themes/deco/lights and sound, activities, and vibe — to the Northeast EDM/rave scene.

On Saturday, October 29, the Crew will outdo themselves by hosting a three-venue (yes, three) Luigi’s Haunted Mansion-themed party. Even more interestingly, this time, the locale is Pawtucket. The Met, Hope Artiste Village and Breaktime Bowl (yes, you can bowl!) will be the settings for this Halloween “Massive.”

And massive it will be! More than 20 DJs from all over the world are scheduled to spin this spooktacular celebration. One thing that isn’t changing, though, is Tight Crew’s love of attendees joining in on the fun with creative costumes to match the Halloween and video game-themed deco. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit TightCrew.net.

Get Your Freak(out) On: the PVD Ghost Tour

True confessions: I love Halloween, but I hate being scared. I refuse to watch horror movies or even general thrillers, so much so that it took four weeks for my friend Jeremy to convince me to watch an episode of Stranger Things. When it comes to paranormal activity, I’d rather be perceived as “gullible” and believe a far-fetched tale than have a firsthand encounter with a ghost and be cursed until I meet my untimely death.

So it was a little unusual just how much I was looking forward to taking the Providence Ghost Tour on a drizzly Saturday evening in October. I asked Jeremy if he wanted to join me (he’s clearly into the paranormal — and he had many of his own ghost stories to share!) and we headed to Prospect Park on the East Side of Providence promptly at 7pm.

We actually arrived at 6:56pm (by all accounts early for me), just as an enormous crowd of people was headed down the hill. Panicked, we ran to catch up with them and were informed by a tour goer that check-in was still happening at the park. It turned out there were three tour groups leaving that night. Those whom we’d spoken to were the early birds; the second group had clustered around a guide and were about to begin, and Jeremy and I were shepherded to the last group, which I like to think comprised the cool kids. Our guide was Steph, and she wore a floor-length, black gothic dress, her blue hair visible under the occasional lamplight, carrying a white umbrella to contrast the dark evening. “It’s multifunctional,” she told us, of the parasol. “It’s protection from the rain, it keeps the hecklers away, and (if opened, and angled behind her head) it acts as a megaphone.” Steph was full of knowledge, and this was just the beginning.

Once the latecomers arrived, we began — right there at Prospect Park with a brief history of Roger Williams. The story was relevant, of course, because the “dust” of Roger Williams (that which could be gathered from his dead body after being dug up from his original grave, having mostly been devoured by a hungry tree) was buried under the lovely marble statue overlooking the city. “Welcome to Rhode Island,” Steph said, tongue in cheek, for the first time of many throughout the night.

Within the group, there were three native Rhode Islanders (including our guide), some transplants (myself), and some visitors (like Jeremy). We wound our way from the RISD side of college hill to the Brown side and back to RISD, 12 stops in all. The light rain began when we hit the intersection of Benefit and Angell, where we learned about Seril Dodge, a clockmaker and professor at the turn of the 19th century. Dodge had a love affair with one of his students, whose heartbreak over seeing him with his wife led her to commit suicide in the tower where she and Dodge would secretly rendezvous. She did not take it well when the building was renovated a century later, and caused some problems for the construction workers.

We learned about a man named Ebenezer Night Dexter, who — history aside — deserves kudos on his badass name. We stopped at the Athenaeum, where Edgar Allan Poe first locked eyes with Sarah Helen Whitman, his future fianceé (who called it off before they ever married). Even though Poe died in another state, he’s said to frequent this location — sort of like his post-mortem happy place. In fact, just within the last 10 years a student came across a drunken man lying across the steps of the library and tried to rouse him, only to be met with an angry shout of “The Conqueror Worm!” before the man promptly disappeared. It was the librarian who put the pieces together since “The Conqueror Worm” was the title of one of Poe’s poems, ironically about human mortality and the inevitability of death.

My favorite stop of the night was University Hall, the oldest building on the Brown campus, which functioned as a hospital during the Revolutionary War. This is a building that I walk past every day but never knew the history of, or how formidable it looks at night. I got the heebie-jeebies just staring at it from the middle of the green. This place is a hotbed of activity, given how many soldiers had their limbs amputated (pre-anesthesia) and subsequently died of blood poisoning. Courtney, one of the PVD Ghost Tour’s founders, “hijacked” the tour and shared some stories. It was like listening to tales around a campfire: We were swept into the story, as if at any moment she would say, “Boo!” and everyone would jump. Except there were no surprises … only an eerie feeling that we were being watched and it was safer not to look too closely into the windows.

By the end of the tour, I felt incredibly overwhelmed by all the unsettling, tragic and ghost-filled stories that have surrounded me for the last three years. I never thought I would describe a ghost tour as “illuminating,” but that’s exactly what it was. Skeptics and believers alike, historians and “Stranger Things” fans: There is something for everyone here, and this is the perfect time of year to join the experience.

Tours run nightly, 7 pm, through October and on select nights in November. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit providenceghosttour.com Haunted & Scariest Attractions of RI

ONGOING

Factory of Terror: With a location in West Warwick (as well as two additional locations in Fall River and Worcester), numerous attractions and park-hopper options, Factory of Terror offers enough scares to last you through the night and beyond. Fri thru Sun, in Oct plus Halloween 7pm. 3 Bridal Ave, West Warwick. factoryofterror.com

Fear Town: Outdoor chills in the woods of Seekonk, with mazes, dark trails and lots of scares. Fri, Sat, Sun now thru Halloween. Seekonk Speedway, 1710 Fall River Ave, Seekonk, Ma. feartown1-px. rtrk.com Field of Screams: Featuring three haunted attractions including the Dungeon of Doom, the Dead River Haunted Hayride and 4D Cirque Du Souls, as well as Zombie Paintball, Field of Screams offers everything needed for a night full of fright. Fri thru Sun, some Thursdays, and Halloween night at 6:30pm. 179 Plain Meeting House Rd, West Greenwich. hauntedhayride.net

Zombie Paintball (see story page 26) at Field of Screams, 179 Plain Meeting House Rd, West Greenwich. zombiepaintball.net Fortress of Nightmares: Fort Adams after dark is always spooky. Now, “the darkness is real.” And it looks like the girl from The Ring may live here. If you find out and live to tell the tale, report back! Includes Tunnels of Terror, the new “Mayhem 3D”, Paranormal exhibit (featuring TAPS investigations) and a new “Turned! A Zombie Experience,” a laser tag variant. Oct 21-23 & 28-30. 7 – 10pm. 90 Fort Adams Dr, Newport. halloween.fortadams.org

Haunted Hill: Exercise your courage with an outing along this spooky trail through the woods. Fri thru Sun, 7pm thru Oct 30. 4092 Diamond Hill RD, Cumberland. hauntedhill.net The Haunted Labyrinth: Cirque D’Horreur returns with its chilling, clown-ridden maze. Fri thru Sun, thru Oct 31. 7-10pm, Rejoice in Hope Youth Center, 804 Dyer Ave, Cranston. hauntedlabyrinth.com

Haunted Tunnel: This fun display offers a variety of safe family activities. Also in the park, at Daggett Farm, there is a Pumpkins in the Park for younger kids. In addition, during the Halloween events, ride the historic Looff Carousel that will operate during the Halloween events. Fri and Sat throughout Oct at 6pm Slater Memorial Park, Pawtucket. fb.com/ hauntedtunnelri

H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour: If the stars are right, join this walking tour to learn about the life and works of iconic Providence-based horror author H.P. Lovecraft, famous for stories such as “The Colour Out of Space,” “At the Mountains of Madness” and “The Call of Cthulhu.” Oct 22-23, 12-1:30PM, 52 Power St. PVD. film-festival.org/ HPLovecraft16.php?ref=ebtn

Jack-O-Lantern Spooktacular: Officially welcome fall with 5,000 carved works of art. Roger Williams Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Ave, PVD. rwpzoo.org Oct 6 – Nov 6 Lanterns & Legends: Tour the Old Washington County Jail with the South County History Center. Covers brazen murders, brutal executions and … vampires? You can purchase a lantern to go with your tour. Oct 21, 22, 28, 29 and 31 at 7 and 8pm, with a special 9pm trip on Halloween. 2636 Kingstown Rd, Kingston. southcountyhistorycenter.org Olde Town Ghost Walk: What haunts historic Newport? What doesn’t, it seems? From ships to crypts, learn the mystery of graven stone carvings of winged skulls and try to hear the haunted drum beats. 8pm nightly in October and on Sat in November. 25 America’s Cup Ave, Newport. ghostsofnewport.com Providence Ghost Walk: Providence’s longest-running ghosts and graveyards tour showcases one of the nation’s oldest (and most haunted) cities. Every Sat and Sun at 3pm, Providence Athenaeum, 251 Benefit St, PVD. roryraven.com

Providence Ghost Tour: (See story page 24 Join this nightly lantern-lit walk through Providence’s East Side and learn about the horrific events that occurred at historic stops on the tour – and the ghosts that reportedly still haunt them. Thru Oct 31 at 7pm, Prospect Terrace Park, 60 Congdon St, PVD. providenceghosttour.com

Scary Acres: Ever wanted to feel like you’re in a horror movie? Well, Scary Acres has got you covered with zombies, chainsaws and rattling cages. Fri thru Sun, thru Oct 31. 7 – 10pm, Confreda Greenhouses & Farms, 2150 Scituate Ave, Hope. scaryacresri.com Seven Cedars Haunted Hayride: Weather permitting, you can take this tour and get the straw scared out of you. Every Fri, Sat and Sun thru Halloween, from 7 – 10pm (9pm on Sun). 10 John Mowry Rd, Smithfield. sevencedarsfarm.us

Trails to Terror: (See cover photo. Candidates not included) Cruise Highland Farm on a haunted hayride or boldly walk through the Forest of Fear. “You cannot hide … only flee.” Fri thru Sun, thru Oct 30. 7pm, Highland Farms, 4235 Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. trailstoterror.com MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Oct 21 – 22 Night at the Haunted Museum: Take a look at this eerily beautiful collection and travel through the catacombs of the museum. Tours start every 10 minutes and last about 25 minutes. Each tour can accommodate 10 to 15 people. There will be 24 tours per night. Not for young children. Reyel Factory, 249 Roosevelt Ave, Pawtucket.

Oct 21, 27 & 28 Mills & Mysteries Paranormal Investigation: Find out what haunts RI with TV’s Carl and Keith Johnson as you investigate the waterwheel pit of the 1810 Wilkinson Mill and the 1758 Sylvanus Brown House. 7:30-10pm, Slater Mill, 67 Roosevelt Ave, Pawtucket. slatermill.org

Oct 22 UnBOOlievable Festival 2016 at Roger Williams Park Carousel Village: Calling monsters of all ages! The whimsical Carousel Village is celebrating its spooky side with the return of the UnBOOlievable Festival. Visit the frightful celebration in costume, and ride the carousel as if the headless horseman were after you. Kids 12 and under can trick or treat at the food trucks from 11am – 2pm. rwpzoo.org

Oct 28 Halloween CarnEvil 2016 at Newport Vineyards: The city’s premier costume party with an evening full of sideshows, circus performances, and tarot card reading craziness. Includes Creepy Cocktail Hour with nosh food. Live music from The Silks and cash bar to follow. Prizes for best costume! 7 – 11pm, Newport Vineyards, 909 East Main Rd (Route 138) Middletown. newportvineyards.com

Mysterium – The Eternal Masquerade: Eternal Masqueraders will experience a unique Halloween odyssey composed of captivating performances, signature food & drink, and exploration of one of Providence’s prime venues. Costumes not required, however strongly recommended. Masks will be provided. Complimentary valet parking. provlib. givezooks.com/events/mysterium-theeternal- masquerade-2016

Oct 29 Tom D’Agostino at Slater Mill: Join paranormal researcher Tom D’Agostino for a lecture on what haunts RI and conduct your own hands-on paranormal investigation using EVPs on the Old Slater Mill Campus. 8 – 11pm, Slater Mill, 67 Roosevelt Ave, Pawtucket. Slatermill.org Common Burying Ground: A Walking Tour for Halloween Weekend: Explore the Common Burying Ground. Learn about the stone carvers, their art and the diverse people buried there who helped shape Newport’s history. Presented by Newport History Tours. 11am – Noon, Depart the Brick Market Museum and Shop, from 127 Thames St, Newport. tclf.com

Oct 29 – 30 Rocky Point Farm Pumpkin Walk: Stroll an enchanting pumpkin walk through the woods with candlelit pumpkins, tiki torches, bag candles and campfires to light the way. Listen to West African drumming by Sidy Maiga. This non-scary event is great for young children and their families. Parking available at Rocky Point Park. 6 – 8:30pm, Rocky Point Farm, 130 Rocky Point Ave, Warwick. rockypointblueberries.com

SITES & ATTRACTIONS

Crescent Park Looff Carousel: After a fire in the 1960s, many witnesses now claim to see the carousel’s lights turn on and machinery start up well after closing hours. Some even claim to have seen the apparition of an unknown young woman. Open Fri 4 – 8pm and Sat & Sun Noon – 6pm, 700 Bullocks Point Ave, Riverside. crecentparkcarousel.com

Haunted City: Officially known as Hanton City, Smithfield’s Haunted City is a colonial-era ghost town. Though actual ghosts have not been reported on the site, the exact nature of the ruins and the reason the city was abandoned remain an unsolved mystery. Hanton City, Smithfield. ghosttowns.com

Hell’s Gates: Thought by some to be the cursed site of former witch activity, Hell’s Gates reportedly houses an old cemetery and the ruins of buildings deep within its woods. Hell’s Half Acre, New London Turnpike, West Greenwich. fb.com/ pages/hells-gate-trailhead HP Lovecraft Self-Guided Walking Tour: Venture around Lovecraft’s home in Providence and the surrounding area on your own time and visit areas pivotal to his life, his stories and his everlasting legacy.hplovecraft.com/creation/sites/ walktour.aspx

H.P. Lovecraft’s Grave: Visit the grave of the iconic Providence-based author famous for chilling tales of cosmic horror. Swan Point Cemetery. 8:30am – 4pm. 585 Blackstone Blvd, Providence. swanpointcemetery.com

Lizzy Borden House: 40 whacks that axed their way into history in one of New England’s oddest and most famous murders. It’s a B&B now (as well as a museum and an historic site) – you can stay overnight and spectre-watch. Just leave your axe at home. 230 2nd St, Fall River, Ma. lizzie-borden.com

Mercy Brown’s Grave: After dying of tuberculosis at only 19 years old, Mercy Brown’s body was originally stored in an above ground vault where her body did not decompose at the usual rate, leading the community to believe that she was a vampire. Chestnut Hill Baptist Church. 467 Ten Rod Rd, Exeter. The Monastery: Now a public library, the Monastery was built in 1900, severely damaged by a fire in 1950, and is now believed by many to be haunted. Cumberland Public Library. Mon thru Thu 9am – 8pm, Fri & Sat 9am-5pm, and Sun 1 – 4pm. 1464 Diamond Hill Rd, Cumberland. Cumberlandlibrary.org

Pardon Miller House: Not only does this RISD dorm house freshmen, but there have also been numerous reported appearances of two ghost children, an apparition of a woman and a young woman’s disembodied voice. 55 Angell St, PVD. Rocky Point Park: Originally opening in the 1840s and closing in 1995, Rocky Point Park now sports only a walking path and, apparently, the haunted air of coaster rides long past. 130 Rocky Point Ave, Warwick.

Motif’s 5 Event Picks of the Week: October 19 – October 25

THRU NOV 6

Appropriate, Trinity Rep, 201 Washington St, PVD. A comic-drama homage to the American theater canon. It would be highly appropriate to see this. trinityrep.com See review at motifri.com/appropriate2016

FRI 21

Halloween Party: Featuring School of Rock Seekonk in a preview of fall performance shows. 5pm, Fete Ballroom, 103 Dike St, PVD. fetemusic.com

THRU SUN 23

Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival: Rhode Island’s annual genre film festival showcases the work of local and international filmmakers with an emphasis on the things that go bump in the night. Times and locations vary by day. film-festival.org/Vortex

SUN 23

Dr. Oldie Presents The Original New England Rock ‘N’ Roll Collectors Convention: Buy, sell and trade vinyl LPs and 45s, CDs, tapes, DVDs, posters, books and more! 10am- 4pm, Ramada Hotel, 213 Taunton Ave, Seekonk, Mass. facebook.com/Drorecordshow-125882310937890

95.5 WBRU Birthday Bash featuring Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Weathers and Le Roxy Pro: 95.5 WBRU’s annual Birthday Bash is back with an all new lineup of bands. 7pm, Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, 79 Washington St, Providence. Lupos.com