Name: Celebrate Utica's Abolition History Day
Start: 2026-10-21T18:00:00-04:00
Location: Hope Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church

Hope Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church

For Immediate Release: 10/15/2026 
Press Contact: 315-732-0536 REV.SBAUGH@GMAIL.COM
October 21st Utica’s Abolition History Day will once again be celebrated, bringing alive the 191st anniversary of the anti-abolition Utica Riot. 
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Local Event: Celebrate Utica's Abolition History Day

Oneida County

utica-rome

Utica

New York

Celebrate Utica's Abolition History Day

For Immediate Release: 10/15/2026 
Press Contact: 315-732-0536 REV.SBAUGH@GMAIL.COM
October 21st Utica’s Abolition History Day...

Oneida County History Center

Explore the fascinating life of Louisa Jacobs, daughter of Harriet Jacobs (author of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl), with scholar Susan Goodier. Learn about her connection to Upstate New York, from attending school in Clinton and participating in Underground Railroad activities in Dolgeville, to touring with Susan B. Anthony and serving as a companion to the daughters of famous columnist Fanny Fern.

Louisa Jacobs attended the Kellogg School in Clinton, NY. She also spent summers living with the Brockett family of Brockett's Bridge/Dolgeville, becoming involved with their Underground Railroad activities. She served as a companion and governess to the daughters of Fanny Fern (the highest-paid newspaper columnist in the nineteenth century), then, after the Civil War, she toured upstate NY with Susan B. Anthony and the American Equal Rights Association. Finally, she spent a summer working in the Martin family jam and jelly business in Auburn, NY.&nbsp;

Local Event: Louisa Jacobs in New York State: Reform and Enterprise with Susan Goodier

Louisa Jacobs in New York State: Reform and...

Explore the fascinating life of Louisa Jacobs, daughter of Harriet Jacobs (author of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl),...

Louisa Jacobs in New York State: Reform and Enterprise with Susan Goodier

Forest Hill Cemetery

What moves through Forest Hill after dark?
For years, visitors have reported seeing a mysterious blue orb moving among the graves. Some have connected its reported path to several of the remarkable people buried here.&nbsp;Is there an explanation? We’ll leave that question to you.&nbsp;The history, however, is very real.


Join us for Afterlife &amp; Afterparty: Lore, Legends &amp; Legacies, an evening that begins with a guided, lantern-lit walking tour through Forest Hill Cemetery at twilight or after dark, followed by an afterparty at The Beer Hub.
We’ll follow the lore, but the real heart of the evening is the people.&nbsp;Along the way, you’ll discover remarkable stories connected to Forest Hill and the men and women whose lives helped shape Utica, Oneida County, the Mohawk Valley, and beyond.

Some were well known in their time. Others have stories that deserve to be rediscovered.
This is not a haunted attraction or paranormal investigation. It is an atmospheric historical experience built around curiosity, storytelling, and the very real history found throughout Forest Hill.
<img alt="🕯️" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/17.0/1f56f_fe0f/72.png">&nbsp;TWILIGHT TOUR | 6:00 PM
Guest arrival and check-in:&nbsp;5:30 PM
Guided tour begins:&nbsp;6:00 PM
<img alt="🌙" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/17.0/1f319/72.png">&nbsp;AFTER-DARK TOUR | 8:00 PM
Guest arrival and check-in:&nbsp;7:30 PM
Guided tour begins:&nbsp;8:00 PM
<img alt="🍻" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/17.0/1f37b/72.png">&nbsp;THEN, HEAD TO THE BEER HUB
After your tour, the evening continues at The Beer Hub.
Whether you join us for the Twilight Tour or the After-Dark Tour, we invite you to head over afterward, grab a drink, compare notes about the stories you heard, and spend a little more time together.
As a special thank-you, the first 150 guests will receive a commemorative glass and $1 off their first drink at The Beer Hub after the tour.
<img alt="🎟️" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/17.0/1f39f_fe0f/72.png">&nbsp;TICKETS | $25 PER PERSON
Each tour is limited to approximately&nbsp;75 guests.
Advance registration is strongly encouraged and very much appreciated.
Reserve your preferred tour time and tickets at:
<a href="https://givebutter.com/afterlife-afterparty" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">https://givebutter.com/afterlife-afterparty</a>
<img alt="👟" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/17.0/1f45f/72.png">&nbsp;COME PREPARED
This is an outdoor walking tour taking place at twilight and after dark. Please wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for October weather.
The route will remain on paved roads and carriage paths, but guests should still be prepared for the conditions of a historic cemetery landscape after dark.
<img alt="❤️" src="https://fonts.gstatic.com/s/e/notoemoji/17.0/2764_fe0f/72.png">&nbsp;AN EVENING WITH A PURPOSE
Proceeds from Afterlife &amp; Afterparty will benefit the Forest Hill Cemetery Preservation Foundation and support the restoration of historic Childs Chapel.

Local Event: Afterlife & Afterparty: Lore, Legends & Legacies  A Lantern-Lit Walk Through Forest Hill Cemetery

Afterlife & Afterparty: Lore, Legends &...

What moves through Forest Hill after dark?
For years, visitors have reported seeing a mysterious blue orb moving among the...

Afterlife & Afterparty: Lore, Legends & Legacies  A Lantern-Lit Walk Through Forest Hill Cemetery

Utica Masonic Hall

Plated Roast Pork dinner with all the fixins. Includes dessert. 12pm-2pmAdults $16.00, Children 5-12 years $10.00, under 5 are freeBasket Raffle, Bake Sale, Take outs availableProceeds to benefiit the Uarda Temple Daughters of the Nile General Fund

Local Event: Annual Roast Pork Dinner and Harvest Bazaar

Annual Roast Pork Dinner and Harvest Bazaar

Plated Roast Pork dinner with all the fixins. Includes dessert. 12pm-2pmAdults $16.00, Children 5-12 years $10.00, under 5 are...

Ilion Little Theater Club, 13 Remington Ave, Ilion, NY, 13357

The ultimate fan. The ultimate nightmare. William Goldman's stage adaptation locks the audience into a high-stakes game of survival.
This psychological thriller based on Stephen King’s novel Misery follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash and wakes up captive in a secluded home owned by his self-identified “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads the manuscript of his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new Misery novel and he quickly realizes Annie has no intention of letting him go. Paul is writing as if his life depends on it – and it does.
 Show Warning: Please be aware that this production contains stage violence and gore, simulated gunshots, strobing light effects, psychological horror, and strong language. Recommended for patrons 16 and older.

Local Event: Stephen King's Misery

Stephen King's Misery

The ultimate fan. The ultimate nightmare. William Goldman's stage adaptation locks the audience into a high-stakes game of...

Get ready for a frightfully good time and a deliciously local mystery! The Oneida County History&nbsp;Center presents "Utica Boo," a new play written by local author Dennis Webster and directed by&nbsp;Deborah Martin. This performance promises to bring Utica's history, food, and spirits to life.Utica Boo! offers a fun way to connect with the past through the ghosts of local figures like Roscoe&nbsp;Conkling and Roxalana Druse. This haunted whodunnit features local dishes such as Chicken Riggies&nbsp;and tomato pie. The story follows Brittany, a Utica historian, who aims to clarify&nbsp; misconceptions&nbsp;about these ghosts while introducing them to regional cuisine. As a thrilling mystery unfolds, the&nbsp;audience tries to guess the killer. This play combines history, mystery, and local pride.Tickets in the link below

Local Event: Utica Boo!  A Haunted Whodunnit

Utica Boo!  A Haunted Whodunnit

Get ready for a frightfully good time and a deliciously local mystery! The Oneida County History Center presents "Utica Boo," a...

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Celebrate Utica's Abolition History Day

Event Details

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Celebrate Utica's Abolition History Day