Fall River Public Library turns into a haunted walk-through Oct. 22 and closes early that afternoon
The walk-through runs 6 to 7 p.m. at the North Main Street library, with a craft room for children who would rather skip the scares. From Oct. 21 through Oct. 29, the library's calendar also includes a spirit history talk, a puppet show and a kids Halloween film fest.
FALL RIVER The Fall River Public Library will stop regular service at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, then reopen at 6 p.m. as the Haunted Library, a Halloween walk-through of its North Main Street building, according to the library's online calendar.
It runs from 6 to 7 p.m., and the library's listing invites visitors to "see the library as you have never witnessed it before" and promises ghouls and ghosts in its halls. Everyone will get a "Spirit Light" to carry through the building to keep the creatures away, the listing says, and the library recommends the walk-through for ages 6 through adult.
Entrances, ages and the craft room
Visitors should use the North Main Street entrance, the listing says, and an accessible entrance will be open on Elm Street. Children who would rather not walk through can make a Halloween craft in the library's Meeting Room instead. No fee or sign-up is mentioned, and the listing gives 508-324-2700, ext. 4, as the contact number, which the library's directory lists as its Children's Services line.
Anyone planning an ordinary library visit that Thursday has less time than usual. The library posts its current hours as 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, so regular service that day ends five hours early. A separate notice on the calendar says the building reopens at 6 p.m. for "limited operation of the event."
More on the library's calendar through Oct. 29
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the night before the walk-through, author Jeff Belanger gives a multimedia talk for adults on the history of spirit communication, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Meeting Room. The library's listing says the program is based on his book "Communicating With the Dead" and traces the subject from the Fox Sisters in the early days of the Spiritualist movement to Ouija boards, dowsing rods and the electronic devices people have used to try to reach the other side. The listing also notes that Belanger is not a psychic medium and does not do spirit readings of any kind.
Saturday, Oct. 24, brings two programs for families. From 10 a.m. to noon, a Mobile Adventures session called Footprints and Folklore covers how to identify and track creatures from legend and folklore, with animal tracking, storytelling and a build-your-own cryptid art project, and the library says it is for all ages. At 1 p.m., the Tom Knight Puppets Halloween Show tells the story of Freddy the Troll, who learns he does not have to be scared of children. The listing says the show is made to appeal to children as young as 2 and to engage children up to 12, and adults as well.
Dr. Gasp performs original Halloween songs in the library lobby on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 7:45 p.m. That show is free, open to all ages and needs no registration, according to its listing.
On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Kids Halloween Film Fest shows three animated shorts based on children's picture books, "The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything," "A Very Brave Witch" and "Los Gatos Black on Halloween," from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Refreshments will be served, according to the listing, and the films are for ages 4 and up.
The library building
The library was founded in 1861 as the direct descendant of the Fall River Athenaeum, a private subscription library that had operated since 1835, according to the history on its website. It was housed in City Hall until an 1886 fire destroyed part of the collection and forced a move to rented space on North Main Street. The city authorized a library building in 1895, and the present building opened in 1899. A full restoration began in 2001, and the renovated building, which the library describes as having vaulted ceilings and marble accents, opened in 2003. The motto "The People's University" is carved into its original Fall River granite walls, the library says.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
How we verified this
Every fact comes from the Fall River Public Library's own pages listed below: seven listings on its online event calendar, its Hours and Contact page and its history page. We read them on Oct. 20. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar. The Haunted Library listing mentions no fee or registration, and we say only that. Where a listing's age tag and its description differ, we used the description. Not heard: no one was contacted.
Corrections
No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (9)
- A Journey Through the Haunted Library! | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary calendar listing. Oct. 22, 6 to 7 p.m., Spirit Light, ages 6 through adult, North Main Street entrance, Elm Street accessible entrance, Meeting Room craft, 3 p.m. closing, contact ext. 4. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- NOTICE! LIBRARY LIMITED CLOSURE FOR EVENT | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary calendar notice. Regular services close at 3 p.m. Oct. 22 and the library reopens at 6 p.m. for limited operation of the event. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- History of Spirit Communication | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary calendar listing. Jeff Belanger talk, Oct. 21, 6 to 7:30 p.m., adults, Meeting Room, book title, not a psychic medium. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- Mobile Adventures; Footprints and Folklore | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary calendar listing. Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to noon, activities, for all ages. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- The Tom Knight Puppets Halloween Show! | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary calendar listing. Oct. 24, 1 to 2 p.m., Freddy the Troll story, ages 2 to 12 and adults. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- Dr. Gasp Performance | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary calendar listing. Oct. 28, 6 to 7:45 p.m., library lobby, free, all ages, no registration. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- Kids Halloween Film Fest! | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary calendar listing. Oct. 29, 4 to 5 p.m., three animated shorts, refreshments, ages 4 and up. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- Hours and Contact | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary website. Current hours, Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Children's Services is ext. 4. Read Oct. 20, 2026.
- About the FRPL | Fall River Public LibraryLibrary website history. 1861 founding, Athenaeum since 1835, City Hall until the 1886 fire, 1895 authorization, 1899 opening, 2001 restoration, 2003 reopening, the motto on the granite walls. Read Oct. 20, 2026.