Our outdoor Victorian Fair will return to the Mansion lawn this October, with an “odd” twist! Join us for A Bizarre Victorian Bazaar: An Exhibition of Oddities and the Obscure. This one-day fair kicks off the Halloween season with an educational (and entertaining!) take on Victorian folklore, customs, Spiritualism, and more.

Learn about poison books and wallpaper, how purported mediums conducted seances, and why some elite Victorians held mummy unwrapping parties. Have your cards (or head) read, create Victorian crafts, and much more! This fair will have activities and games for kids throughout the day. Plus, a visit from Charles Dickens, scenes from Portland Ballet’s Thrills & Chills, and live music by the Shank Painters! We’ll also have Sullivan House Bakery onsite for visitors who want to grab a bite to eat while they enjoy demonstrations and performances on the lawn.

For those who would like to attend in their Victorian finest, we encourage entry into our costume contest on the day of the Bazaar!

A Schedule of Events is now available to view! Copies will be available onsite on the day of the Bazaar.

Exhibitors and performers include:

• Clairvoyant Light
• Roxie Zwicker of New England Curiosities
• Spirits Alive
• Phillips Puppets
• Artist Julie Gray
• Mira Ptacin, author of The In-Betweens: The Spiritualists, Mediums, and Legends of Camp Etna
• Osher Map Library
• Terrarium
• Saco Museum’s Cabinet of Curiosities
• …and more!

This event is designed for visitors ages 8 and up. We encourage caregiver discretion for younger and more sensitive children.

Keep an eye on our Events webpage, and our Facebook and Instagram pages in the coming weeks as we announce more. A full schedule of events will be available onsite on the day of the event, and a preliminary schedule of events will be available closer to the event date.

Tickets:

Adults: $21
College Students: $8
Children ages 6-17: $6
Children 5 and under: Free
Victoria Mansion Members: Free
Museums for All (SNAP/EBT cardholders): $3 (with valid SNAP/EBT card at check-in)