FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 800.648.5381
EMAIL: info@northalabama.org

Hear Terrifying Tales on a Downtown Athens Walking Tour in October

Decatur, Ala. – In celebration of all things spooky, Athens-Limestone County Tourism is offering haunted walking tours next month giving visitors and locals a chance to explore the town by night. Held every Tuesday and Thursday night in October, the Athens Haunts Walk takes guests on a spooky one- to two-hour walking tour that uncovers paranormal activity, ghoulish legends and hauntings in the historic downtown area.
 
During Athens Haunts Walk, experienced and entertaining tour guides tell spooky stories of paranormal activity at 13 local structures. Stories include the college student who fell to her death and is said to still roam the halls at Athens State University’s Founders Hall and the great 1893 fire that burned the wooden buildings on Marion Street. Tours include a stop at Founders Hall where the students of the then-named Athens Female Institute watched Union and Confederate soldiers battle and the steps of the Houston Library where a crowd gathered on the night voters elected George Houston as the state’s first governor after reconstruction.

Now in its fifteenth year, Athens Haunts Walk is suitable for adults and children in grades 4th and up. In the past, tour participants have included both believers of paranormal behavior and some skeptics of the supernatural. The tours are also a way to get to know more about Athens and its history and lore. 

The tours take place every Tuesday and Thursday night in October with the first walk beginning at 6:30 p.m. followed by the second walk at 7 p.m. Leading the tours are Billy Ward, Shane Black, Garth Lovvorn, Will Weir and Jamie Gilbert. All tours depart from the Athens-Limestone County Tourism office located at Big Springs Memorial Park (100 N. Beaty Street). Guests are asked to arrive 10-15 minutes before scheduled tour time. Each walk is approximately one hour to two hours and a one-mile walking distance. Please wear comfortable footwear. 

Tickets are $10 per person 12 years old and over. Reservations by advanced purchase are required. Tickets are sold at the Athens-Limestone County Tourism office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Each tour is limited to 15 people, and masks are required. 

For more information, call the Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association at 256-232-5411.

About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions and individuals. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available by calling 800.648.5381 or by visiting www.NorthAlabama.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @VisitNorthAL and like us at www.facebook.com/VisitNorthAL.  
  
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