Water & Wine Weekly • Penn Yan, New York • October 12-18, 2026 • Issue 20
October rang in, cue the creepy haunted house door bell sound effect! This week is all about skeletons, ghosts, zombies & haunted happenings!
Zombies, skeletons, pumpkins, & more!
What: Halloween Fest • Where: Lincoln Hill Farms • When: Every Saturday in October, 6-10pm
Head to Halloween Fest - an outdoor Halloween celebration combining fall activities, live music, seasonal treats, Halloween games, and a spooky nighttime Zombie Hunt. It's a mix of family-friendly fall fun and a scarier after-dark experience.
Lincoln Hill Farms
Location: 3792 NY-247, Canandaigua, NY 14424
Phone: (585) 430-4661
Website: https://www.lincolnhillfarms.com/
Skeletons & scares!
What: Haunted Housel Halloween Walk & Display • Where: County Rd 4 in Canandaigua • When: Daily Operation, see Facebook for hours
A huge, family-run Halloween display featuring hundreds of skeletons, elaborate spooky scenes, a mini corn maze, a haunted western town, a witch village, and a creepy circus train. Visit during the day for family-friendly fun, or after dark on Friday-Sunday nights for live actors and bigger scares.
Haunted Housel
Location: 4017 County Rd 4, Canandaigua, NY 14424
Phone: (585) 750-7108
Interactive Murder Mystery
What: Mansion Mysteries - A live whodunnit play inside the Mansion. Advance Tickets Req'd • Where: Sonnenberg Gardens, Canandaigua • When: Oct 16, 17, 18, 23, & 24
This interactive murder-mystery theater experience is set inside Canandaigua’s historic mansion. Guests become detectives, follow clues, and try to solve a “whodunit” as the live drama unfolds—think Clue brought to life in an elegant, historic setting. It’s ideal for adults and anyone who enjoys mystery, history, and immersive theater rather than jump scares.
Sonnenberg Gardens
Location: 250 Gibson Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424
Phone: (585) 430-4661
Website: https://www.sonnenberg.org/
Your Curated Weekend Itinerary
In October the lakes turn misty in the early morning, the falling leaves create a whisper in the air, and the historic buildings seem to hold a few more secrets once the sun begins to set. Beyond the region’s celebrated wine trails and lakeside views, there’s another side to explore: one filled with ghost stories, mysterious landmarks, and legends passed down through generations.
Spirits of the Finger Lakes: Top 5 Haunted Places to Explore Around Penn Yan This Weekend
1. Miles Wine Cellars: Where Wine Country Meets Ghost Stories
Location: 168 Randall Crossing Road, Himrod, NY 14842
Some have seen a mist float through, shaped like a bodily form, and followed by a slam of a door. Others tell that a ghostly couple inhabits the winery who had died here long ago.
Housed in a historic Greek Revival mansion dating to the early 1800s, Miles Wine Cellars combines beautiful Seneca Lake scenery with stories of unexplained footsteps, mysterious sounds, and doors that seem to have a mind of their own. Local lore has helped give the property a reputation as one of the Finger Lakes’ intriguing haunted destinations.
The winery even offers a playful nod to its spectral reputation with a wine called Ghost, a blend of Chardonnay and Cayuga grapes.
Come for the wine, stay for the history, and keep your eyes open. Whether you believe in spirits or prefer a perfectly poured glass of Riesling, Miles Wine Cellars offers a wonderfully atmospheric stop on a Finger Lakes fall getaway.
2. The Lady in Granite: A Penn Yan Cemetery Legend
Location: 388 Elm Street, Penn Yan, NY 14527
Some ghost stories don’t need a haunted house. Sometimes, all it takes is a gravestone and a legend.
The Bishop-Gillette headstone, associated with the local legend known as the Lady in Granite, is one of Penn Yan’s more unusual mysterious landmarks. The stone features the image of a reclining woman’s head, traditionally associated with Matilda Gillette. According to local folklore, the image has resisted attempts to remove or polish it away, and legend suggests that the woman’s full figure may one day emerge from the stone.
It’s an eerie story that invites more questions than answers, blending cemetery history, unusual stonework, and the power of local storytelling.
Take a stroll here at dusk, but beware you may spot a female apparition and other shadowy sightings nearby. When you visit, remember that this is an active place of remembrance. Be respectful of the cemetery, its visitors, and the people buried there.
3. Spook Hill: A Strange Roadside Experience
Location: Newell Road, Middlesex, NY
Not every mystery involves a ghostly apparition. Sometimes, the road itself seems to defy explanation.
Spook Hill, in the Middlesex area, is known for a curious roadside phenomenon in which a vehicle appears to roll uphill when placed in neutral at a particular spot. The experience has inspired plenty of speculation and spooky storytelling over the years.
Is it paranormal, or is it an optical illusion caused by the surrounding landscape? The phenomenon is generally explained by the way the road and horizon affect our perception of slope, making it a fun reminder that appearances can be deceiving.
The sweet spot is between the Spike Road sign on your left and a driveway located on the right. As always, pull over safely, follow local road rules, and never stop where you could obstruct traffic.
4. Garrett Memorial Chapel: A Quiet Chapel with an Eerie Reputation
Location: 5251 Skyline Drive, Bluff Point, NY
Perched above Keuka Lake, Garrett Memorial Chapel is known for its beautiful setting and peaceful atmosphere. Built in memory of a young family member who died in 1929, the chapel offers a poignant connection to the region’s history.
Local paranormal folklore has also associated the chapel with reports of ghostly figures, including a woman, a young boy, and a priest. Some have witnessed orbs floating, a child's scream, and a presence that actually grabs hold of visitors. These stories add an unsettling dimension to a place that otherwise feels serene and contemplative.
The chapel is worth appreciating for its history and architecture, regardless of whether you believe the legends. If you plan to visit, check current access arrangements before making the trip, and treat the grounds with care.
5. The Naples Hotel: A Historic Inn with Lingering Spirits
Location: 111 South Main Street, Naples NY 14512
A short drive from Penn Yan, the historic Naples Hotel offers another opportunity to explore the Finger Lakes’ haunted reputation.
Built in 1895 the hotel has become well known for stories of unexplained footsteps, strange occurrences, and alleged apparitions.
The hotel is rumored to be haunted by 6 or more ghosts including a ghost named Topper, a woman with two children, and a Civil War Soldier. Whispers from the ghosts can be heard, doors lock and unlock, lights turn off and on, and pictures move around.
Historic inns naturally invite the imagination: creaking floorboards, old staircases, and rooms that have welcomed generations of travelers make ideal settings for ghost stories.
Have a Haunted Adventure This Weekend
The best part of exploring the region’s spooky side is that you don’t have to choose between a little mystery and the pleasures of wine country. Spend the afternoon exploring Keuka Lake’s scenic roads, visit a historic landmark, and finish the day with a wine tasting or an elegant dinner.
Stay: Naples Hotel (#5 on the list)
Sip: Wineries along Keuka Lake (Or visit Seneca Lake & Miles Wine Cellars #1 on the list!)
Savor: Fine Dining at the Mansion on Keuka Lake
Shop: Main Street Penn Yan
Spirits of the Finger Lakes: Lady Granite, Spook Hill & Garrett Chapel (#2, #3, & #4 on the list)
Whether you’re a paranormal enthusiast, a lover of local history, or simply looking for a different kind of fall adventure, these haunted and mysterious destinations near Penn Yan deserve a spot on your autumn itinerary.
Weekly Events List
10am-5pm • Pretzel & Wine Pairing • Fulkerson Winery
11am • Food & Wine Experience: Fall Series (Reservations Req'd) • Fox Run Vineyards
11am-4:30pm • Tabora Cookie & Wine Pairings • Tabora Farm & Winery
3pm • Open Doors: Farm Tour • Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
4-6:30pm • Live Music with Claudia Hoyser • Black Sheep Distillery
5-7pm • The Beerocracy Brit Social at the Pub • Seneca Lake Brewing Company
5-8pm • Farm Dinner Series • Dean Lane Dining
5-8pm • Live Music with River Lynch • Laurentide Brewing Company
6pm • Harvest Livestream: 2026 • Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
6-8pm • FLX Trivia • Lyonsmith Brewing Company
8am-4:30pm • Farmer’s Market & More • The Windmill Farm & Craft Market
9am • Saturday Yoga • Hunt Country Vineyards
10am • Guided Wine Tour • Lakewood Vineyards
10:30am • Junk Journaling with Cindy Duprey • Arts Center of Yates County
10am-5pm • Pretzel & Wine Pairing • Fulkerson Winery
11am-4pm • Fall Sky Rides • Bristol Mountain Ski Resort
11am-4:30pm • Tabora Cookie & Wine Pairings • Tabora Farm & Winery
1-6pm • Food Truck by Moonchots Authentic Thai • Krooked Tusker Distillery
2-5pm • SLOB Fest - Beer, Music, & Food Fest • 41 Lakefront Hotel, Geneva
3-6pm • Live Music with Anton & Friends • Krooked Tusker Distillery
5-8pm • Farm Dinner Series • Dean Lane Dining
5-8pm • Live Music with Jackson Cavalier • Laurentide Brewing Company
6-9pm • Halloween Fest (Every Saturday in October) • Lincoln Hill Farms
10am-5pm • Sparkling Sundays • Glenora Wine Cellars
10am-5pm • Pretzel & Wine Pairing • Fulkerson Winery
11am-3pm • Boozy Coffee Flights • Krookid Leyk Distilling
11am-3pm • Sunday Brunch • Castle Grisch
11am-4pm • Fall Sky Rides • Bristol Mountain Ski Resort
11am-4:30pm • Tabora Cookie & Wine Pairings • Tabora Farm & Winery
Noon-4pm • Bloody Mary Bar • Krooked Tusker Distillery
1pm • Guided Wine Tour • Lakewood Vineyards
1-6pm • The British Sunday Roast & Brit Car Sunday Social • Seneca Lake Brewing Company
3-5pm • Live Music with Madelyn Rose • Blue Eagle
2-5pm • Live Music with The Reefs Airs • Krooked Tusker Distillery
Thank you for reading another issue of Water & Wine Weekly! I hope you have a terrifying weekend!
Claudia
Curating your experience in Penn Yan, New York
