Ghost Tours of Vernon kick off with Faerie tales

By STACIE SNOW

Let the Ghost Tours of Vernon take you on a stroll through the city that will leave you laughing, learning and scared out of your wits.

Join host Gabriel Newman this summer for a journey of haunted tales, UFO sightings, abductions and gory local history.

“You get a condensed version of the history of Vernon with good old fashioned story telling and fun,” said Newman.

This year the tour will feature a tale about faeries in the basement of the Coldstream Hotel. But these creatures are not the cute little cherub-faced flower fairies of children’s books.

“Faeries are immoral beings who do what pleases them and don’t care who they hurt,” said Newman. “They are tales of warning that are meant to teach us about the dangers of our own behaviour.”

Newman created the tour four years ago and came up with the idea after working for a similar business in Newfoundland, where tales of faeries are much more common.

The tour costs $5 and leaves from the steps of the Vernon Museum on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m.

It is an outdoor walking tour that visits Suicide Hill, the Caetani House on Pleasant Valley Road, Bearisto School, the Town Theatre, Power House Theatre and features 13 spooky tales about O’Keefe Ranch and other local attractions.

Newman said all of his tales are supported by local historical facts that he uncovered through extensive research.

He added that he is not trying to scare anybody out of their money.

“For $5 it’s the best entertainment-to-money ratio around for visitors and locals.”