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Parallel Lines

Magic and Mystery

About the Tours

Starting again April 11

Downtown York Ghost Tour

Long overlooked by fans of the paranormal and mystical, historically edgy York, PA, finally gets its due. After decades in the shadow of neighbors like Gettysburg and Lancaster, York steps up to take its rightful place in the world of mystery and mayhem with Rissa's well-researched haunted history walk.

Set in the rich history of downtown York City, the program flows from Native times into the 1970s, with stories of ghosts, witchcraft, fortune tellers, urban legends, and nearby monsters.​

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Ghouls' Night Out is a ladies-only evening that focuses on the female hauntings of York, as well as remarkable women in York's story. Bring your gal pals, sisters, moms, aunts, or other female-identifying friends for tales of York's many feminine ghosts, as well as the fascinating women's history of our town.

  • Have you heard about Catherine, wife of the town pharmacist who still walks the shop?

  • Did you know York denied women's suffrage in 1915?

  • Or that the wife of a famous Black business owner from York strongly contributed to the nation's love for Christmas trees?

This is not the usual haunted history walk, this is HERstory!

Get tickets for the March 28 all-girls tour, $25

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Esoterica Talks

​History of Pennsylvania Witches

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Gather your magic and join Rissa on a journey through time as we visit a Quaker court; wander the woods to gather healing herbs; stand at the Lancaster gallows; meet mysterious beasts by the river; sit across the table from most-wanted palm readers; and come all the way into the 1920s for a world-famous case of murder and betrayal.​

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Every state has a story when it comes to witchcraft; Pennsylvania is no exception. While the Keystone state has no claims like Salem (thankfully), we have significant legends and lore. The history of witches is often a closer look at a place's way of seeing women and people from other cultures in past communities. This is where our evening begins...

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Wander in the Woods: Pennsylvania's Cryptids

 

What lurks in the dark forest or swims in the deep waters of Pennsylvania? Meet your neighborhood cryptids. These beloved beasts offer different ways to understand the history of the state. Be it the Sea Serpent winding through the Susquehanna River, the sinister werewolves of Lancaster County, or the sobbing Squonk from Franklin County's hemlock forests, each of these monsters will spark your imagination and make you wonder what is possible in the shadows, just at the edge of your mind's eye... 

 

Even as cryptids are having a modern burst of popularity ~ PA's furry little Albatwitch has its own festival ~ their history and stories extend back in history. These mysterious creatures have been with us for thousands of years, changing and evolving as we do, reflecting their region's identity.

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Bring the magic to your group or business. In addition to ghosts, Rissa also offers deeply researched programs with a list of previous sell-out performances...

  • History of Pennsylvania Witches 

  • Wander in the Woods: Pennsylvania's Cryptids

  • History of Superstitions

  • Full Moon Lore

  • 13 UnMerry Monsters/A Creepy Little Christmas

  • Love Never Dies: Hauntimg Valloween Stories

  • Grave Obsessions:Victorian Death Rituals

 

She can create team-building experiences for your company, fundraising entertainment for your charity, or a personalized set of Campfire Stories, including the customized, researched history of your space or property.

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The Channel

Can't get enough of the mystery? Rissa has been collecting ghost stories and other supernatural lore from PA residents and creating YouTube shorts. The channel, called Listentomeinthedark, grows each week with more brief ~and true~ stories from Pennsylvania residents. Want to share your story? Please email Rissa.

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