Last year we had a blast down in the Market on Halloween. This year, Halloween falls on a Friday. We will have a great night in the many bars and restaurants. I am co-hosting with the Alibi Room - a Pub Crawl through the Market. Included on the route are Il Bistro, The Alibi, The Market Theater and more. The event will end at the Market Theater with a midnight show. Tickets are available, click here. Last year we had over 200 people turn out, this year we may sell out so get your tickets early.

Now that it is getting close to the Fall and Halloween - we have added tours at 8pm Friday-Sunday nights. You can still take advantage of the improv theater show at 7pm and take the tour after the show. I received many emails asking for a later ghost tour, the 8pm addition is because of those requests. You can purchase tickets on the left by clicking on the $15 tickets link. If you have any questions, call me at 206-322-1218 - There is one tour on Thursdays at 6pm, no show after.

What began as an experiment, has become a living legacy in Seattle, Washington. The Pike Place Market celebrates 101 years on August 17th. Originally, the Market provided a place for farmers to sell directly to consumers. Today it houses over 600 retail shops, 100 restaurants, crafts people, artists, residences, meat and fish markets and farmers. It is a city within a city, with it's own set of governing rules and even a Mayor, Michael Yaeger. 

The majority of farmers early in Seattle's history were of Japanese descent. After the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, the Market lost 2/3 of it's farmer base. It never truly recovered. By the mid 1960's, the Market was slated for the wrecking ball and the city proposed putting a 42 story building in it's place, with a hockey arena. Through a vote, the Market was saved and is now a historic district. Starting in the mid 1970's, federal and local money helped to rebuild, clean, renovate and restore the buildings within the Market. Organic material was moved and altered. By the time my family opened their shop in the former stables of the Market, ghost stories were being shared in the community.

Photo by my brother:  Antony Yaeger

The Chinese have a whole month devoted to their ancestors and ghosts. During the ghost month, which is August, the living pay respect to the deceased by offering them food, money, stories and amends, if needed. For the entire month, the living honor the dead and then for one night, ancestors come and visit the living. For some this is a very important month that can heal old wounds, bring insight and motivation - both for the dead and living. The portal to the lower levels, the "ghostgate" will open at the end of July.  If you were to travel to the East  in August you might find elaborate tables outside homes and businesses with food and offerings. Amongst those offerings, you would find "hell money" burning. Hell money is actual paper money made to resemble dollars (American and Chinese paper notes). It is marked as money produced by the hell bank and it is offered to the ghosts as a way to offer them prosperity in the afterlife. The word "hell" is used because when the concept of hell was introduced to the Chinese by missionarys it seemed to fit their system of beliefs already. Some Chinese believe that after death, the soul enters a lower world with many stages and struggles to pass through. There is no direct route to paradise or reincarnation, we each are judged for our actions while alive.