This is the time of year when my inspiration is briefly waning. It’s that moment after the joys of summer vacation and before autumnal fun truly takes a foothold. My family rarely travels in August, and the temperatures are usually too hot for many outdoor activities (yes, I’m a heat wimp). What’s a weird wanderer to do? Uncover eerie entertainment in her own hometown, that’s what. So here are five ways to celebrate the weirdness in your city.
1. Visit those places you’ve been meaning to see.
Plenty of us–me included–promise ourselves that we’ll take that walking tour around our city or visit the cool, off-the-beaten path museum… eventually. But life always seems to interfere. If you’re like me and don’t have a faraway vacation awaiting you in the coming weeks, then there’s no reason to delay your hometown adventures any longer. Nemacolin Castle, here I come.
2. Return to the places you know that you love.
Just because you’ve already seen something once doesn’t mean you must tick that box from your life checklist and move on. Plenty of places can become even more captivating after a second or third visit. Give your patronage back to the places you enjoy, and see if you can’t rediscover your love for your hometown.
3. Read about your city’s history.
Even the smallest of counties tend to have one or two indie books about their history. Beat the heat by staying indoors and reading. By the time the weather breaks, you’ll have a newfound appreciation for your city as well as several interesting sights to see on your next drive across town.
4. Tour your local museum or historical society.
I’ve mentioned this several times in the past, but it bears repeating: the best authorities on your town’s weird history are hiding in plain sight at museums and historical societies. The docents there can share some little-known facts about the historical houses in your neighborhood or the ghostly denizens of downtown.
5. Find offbeat festivals or conventions.
Discover the delightful strangeness hiding in your town through the offbeat get-togethers staged each year in and around your area. In fact, a number of cool events might be happening in the next few weeks. Here in Pittsburgh, those are Steel City Con and Horror Realm. Comic books one weekend and horror the next? I can feel my inspiration burgeoning already.
Happy haunting!