The History of Ouija on World Goth Day with Rissa Miller

Name: The History of Ouija on World Goth Day with Rissa Miller
Start: 2026-05-22T19:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-05-22T21:00:00-04:00
Location: 28 Carlisle St. , Hanover, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 17331

Schedule

Fri May 22 2026 at 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

28 Carlisle St. , Hanover, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 17331 | Hanover, PA

On this most deliciously dark of days, step into the flickering candlelight and follow the mysterious journey of the world’s infamous talking board. Long before the Ouija became a pop-culture scare icon, it was a whispered doorway between realms. Born in parlors, nurtured in séance circles, and perfected right next door in Maryland. Its roots twist deep into the spiritualist movements of Baltimore and the Eastern Shore, where mediums, skeptics, entrepreneurs, and grieving families all sought answers from the other side.

Join public historian and folklorist Rissa Miller as she unveils the strange evolution of this much-feared, much-misunderstood oracle. You’ll travel from Victorian obsession to modern moral panic, through court cases, advertising campaigns, wartime grief, and true tales of people who dared to ask questions no living soul could answer. Along the way, we’ll explore the folklore of spirit communication, why certain tools become lightning rods for fear, and how the Ouija cemented itself as the mid-Atlantic’s own legendary seer.
What better night than World Goth Day to dive into the shadows? Expect dark history, eerie accounts, cultural intrigue, and a few surprises from the archives.
Guests are warmly invited to bring their own boards, planchettes, or spirit-communication stories to share… if you dare. This is not a séance or hands-on divination session, only a deep, delicious, spine-tingling journey through history’s haunted corridors. Join us in the darkness. The board is waiting.
Where: 28 Carlisle St. Hanover PA
When: Friday May 22nd 7pm
Tickets available at serpentskeyshoppe.com
The Serpent's Key Shoppe and Sanctuary is located at 28 Carlisle St. in Hanover PA! We are open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sundays 11am-4pm. Closed Mondays!
Parking is free in Hanover Borough after 6pm and all day Sunday! We recommend parking in Hanover Borough Parking Lot 4 across from the Royal Farms! Check our pinned video on Instagram/Facebook for more parking tips and how to find our store!
The Serpent's Key is Wheelchair Accessible, has an accessible restroom, ample seating areas, is service animal friendly, and features sensory lighting for those with photophobia or other light sensory concerns. Incense is used on occasion, but we're happy to hold off if you call ahead!