The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, will host the annual Halloween celebration “Trick or Treat at the 1897 Poe House” Oct. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event, held annually on the third Saturday in October, is free and open to the public.
“Trick or Treat at the 1897 Poe House” will be held on the historical complex grounds both at the 1897 Poe House and the Museum of the Cape Fear building. The event will feature a live DJ, a magic show, and self-guided tours of the Victorian-era 1897 Poe House adorned in period-accurate Halloween decorations. Activities will include face painting, a costume show-and-tell, yard games, and Halloween inspired arts and crafts. Admission is free, and costumes are encouraged.
“This event has become a Fayetteville tradition, and we’re just thrilled to be able to continue it,” Museum Business Officer Stephen Thompson said. “One of the really special things about ‘Trick or Treat at the 1897 Poe House’ is that it makes the past relatable.”
Thompson said the decorations and activities are all accurate to how a family such as the Poes might have celebrated the fall season. However, the music and candy, he added, are more attuned to contemporary tastes.
“Trick or Treat at the 1897 Poe House” is just one of the “History Live!” programs taking place this fall and winter at the museum. Also offered in October are the Hallowe’en Revels theatrical night tours featuring actors from Fayetteville’s Sweet Tea Shakespeare theater company. The ticketed programs will be offered on Oct. 16, 17, 29 and 30. In December, the museum will host its annual Holiday Jubilee and another series of seasonal evening tours focused on December holidays and also featuring players from Sweet Tea Shakespeare. All four of these living-history programs are supported by a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County with funds from the North Carolina Arts Council and the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex Foundation.
The museum is located at 801 Arsenal Ave. in Fayetteville. Regular admission to the museum is free. For more information about the museum or the History Live! programs visit MuseumOfTheCapeFear.ncdcr.gov or call 910-500-4240.
About the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is located on the corner of Bradford and Arsenal avenues in Fayetteville, NC. The complex is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum operates under the Division of State History Museums, Office of Archives and History, within the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. To learn more about the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, visit MuseumOfTheCapeFear.ncdcr.gov
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. At more than 100 sites across the state, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency. For more information, visit DNCR.nc.gov/
About the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County:
The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in Fayetteville, NC that connects our communities, embraces diversity, promotes individual creativity, advances tourism and economic development, and fosters lifelong learning through the arts. As a primary steward of public and private funding for arts, cultural, and historical activities in the Cape Fear Region, all affiliated programs of the Arts Council exemplify our 5 core values: Excellence, Accountability, Transparency, Collaboration, and Innovation. For more information, visit theartscouncil.com
In the year 2025-2026 year, the Arts Council distributed more than $1million in funding through grants and special allocations to Cumberland County artists, non-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, and municipal offices producing arts and cultural activities.
Grants, programs, and services of the Arts Council are funded in part by contributions from community partners, and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.