Thurber House Spooky events and Writing Programs

Thurber House is a nonprofit literary arts center that serves as an educational gathering place for readers, writers, and artists from all over the world.

Since 1984, Thurber House and the Thurber Center next door have held author events, creative programming, writing workshops for kids and adults, writer residencies, camps and more.

Thurber House Living Museum (is it haunted?)

The Thurber House is the restored 1873 home of humorist, cartoonist, author, playwright, and journalist James Thurber, widely considered one of the foremost American humorists of the 20th century.

Thurber House functions as a living museum where interaction with some museum materials is permitted, allowing visitors to experience the house as if they were the Thurbers’ guests.

The home is filled with Thurber artifacts, memorabilia, antique furnishings, and informational panels and photographs about the family and James Thurber’s life and career. Reputed to be haunted, visitors are welcome to ask about the stories behind the rumors.

Dog Garden and Unicorn in the Garden

Visitors should also visit the Dog Garden and the Unicorn in the Garden. Stop by the peaceful Thurber Centennial Reading Garden located between Thurber House and Thurber Center to read, or just sit to relax.

You’ll find 4 larger-than-life-size Thurber dogs by Sculptor Dale Johnson, as well as a 5th dog on top of the fountain.

Across the street in Thurber Park, you’ll find the unicorn, modeled after the creature in Thurber’s story “The Unicorn in the Garden,”.  The full text of which is engraved near the statue. The matching unicorn sculpture is located on the grounds of the Columbus School for Girls in Bexley.

Thurber House events

Thurber House offers programs throughout the year. 

Halloween at Thurber House

Saturday, October 26, 2024

Celebrate Halloween at Thurber House with ghostly stories, fall crafts, tours of haunted Thurber House, a spooky creative writing workshop, sweet treats, a pumpkin carving/painting contest, a ghost raffle, and more!

There are 3 separate programs on Oct 26 to celebrate Halloween. Register for one, two, or all three programs. Costumes are welcome!

Family-Friendly Halloween at Thurber House | FREE

1-3 pm
During this FREE family-friendly drop-in event, come hear strange and spooky tales about what goes bump in the night from award-winning storyteller Lyn Ford, enjoy fall-themed activities and crafts, and grab some sweet treats! Feel free to dress up in costume. You can stop by any time between 1-3 pm. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.

These Haunted Hills (Creative Writing Workshop for Adults/Teens)

3:30-5:30 pm | $30
Award-winning, internationally acclaimed storyteller Lyn Ford is one of the top twenty ghost storytellers in the country. In this workshop, Lyn will lead you on a journey to discover tales, folklore, and ideas from Appalachia’s haunted hills and valleys and Ohio’s spooky cities and cemeteries. Gather tips, resources, and reflections to use as prompts for your own short stories and verse, developed in the dark shadows of your imagination.

Thurber House Adult Halloween Event (18+)

6-8 pm | $15
Drop in any time between 6-8 pm for ghostly stories, tours of haunted Thurber House, seasonal treats, and more! Adult Halloween fans and paranormal enthusiasts will be treated to an evening of spooky/horror short story readings from local writers, including the internationally acclaimed storyteller Lyn Ford and members of the Horror Writers Association, as well as tours of Thurber House (which will be specially decorated for Halloween).

“Evening with the Ghosts” Raffle

Want to win a private “Evening with the Ghosts” at Thurber House with professional paranormal investigator James A. Willis? Sure you do! Willis is teaming up with the Thurber House to offer one lucky winner and a guest the chance to accompany him on a private ghost investigation, tour, and discussion of his research/findings/ghostly reports at Thurber House. All raffle proceeds directly support Thurber House.

Read more about upcoming events.

Adult Writing Workshops and Events

Events currently held in person or via Zoom. Workshops are focused on tips and tricks of the writing process, including character and story development, editing, and more. Register on the events page. 

Thurber House Children’s Programs

Young Writers’ Studio: Every other week, local teens grades 9-12 gather to write, create, and explore ways to get their stories on paper. Details here.

Thurber House Summer Writing Camp: Grades 2–9. See dates and offerings here.

Looking for more events? Find future events on the current program calendar. 

Visiting Thurber House

Open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 1:00–4:00 pm. Admission is $5 per guest. Take a self-guided tour anytime during business hours. Guided tours are available for no additional charge on select days. Feel free to call or email (at least two days) prior to your planned visit to confirm the tour schedule.

Free parking is available via street parking along the Jefferson Ave oval. There is a 3 hour limit between 8 am – 6 pm, no limit after 6 pm or on Sundays. Note: only the spots along the one-way oval are free; the spots along the two-way ends of Jefferson Avenue (near Broad Street and Long Street) are not free.

Free visitor parking is available in the small lot directly behind Thurber House, accessible off 11th Street. There is no time limit as long as you are visiting Thurber House. All other parking lots do not belong to Thurber House and you may be towed.

Thurber House
77 Jefferson Avenue
Columbus, OH 43215

Find more literary events below

Past events from 2022

Annual Thurber Prize for American Humor

Thurber Prize for American Humor is one of the highest recognitions of humor writing in the United States. During this annual event, guests are entertained with a spectacular evening of humor featuring the three award finalists, culminating with the announcement of the winner of the Thurber Prize for American Humor. Past winner have included David Sedaris, Jon Stewart, Joe Keenan, Trevor Noah, and more. 

Summer Literary Picnics

Enjoy an evening of good friends, good food, and great books on the lawn of Thurber House. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, a picnic dinner and drinks, and enjoy! More details and tickets here.

Adult Boxed Dinner + Reading | $41
Adult Reading Only | $21
18 and Under Reading Only | $5.25
Dinner Upgrade | $20 Add a boxed dinner to any Reading Only ticket or Full Summer Subscription for $20.

Black Friday Sale

November tba: 75% Off Black Friday Sale; online only, excluding books. Use promo code THURBER75 to apply the discount.

Cyber Monday

November tba: Get $25 in Thurber Ca$h on Cyber Monday when you purchase a $25 or more gift card. Thurber Ca$h is valid for redemption through June 30, 2023. 

Thurber Birthday Open House

December 8, 2022 from 1-7 pm

Celebrate James Thurber’s birthday with us at Thurber House at this free pop-in family event. Enjoy seasonal music, caroling, and hot chocolate to celebrate Thurber’s legacy.

The museum is open for extended hours from 1-7 pm. 

On December 8 only, all merchandise (excluding books) is 75% off in the physical bookstore at 77 Jefferson Avenue.

Grab one-of-a-kind James Thurber-themed t-shirts, mugs, ornaments, dog toys, magnets, postcards, buttons, and more! Get some gifts for the Thurber enthusiasts in your life!