Visit NC's new 'First in Fright' feeds passion for the paranormal

Collection connects travelers to pervasive and persuasive tales

RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- If camping at the Devil's Tramping Ground or patrolling for ghosts on a battleship sets your heart racing, today's your lucky day. Visit North Carolina unveils First in Fright, a new campaign that highlights otherworldly points of interest from the cloud-shrouded Great Smoky Mountains to the Graveyard of the Atlantic.

The campaign features an 8-part "First in Fright" podcast, a new NC Haunted Trail and hotels that speak to encounters between living souls and figures (real or imagined) from other realms. From today's initial release of tales, seekers can sign up for future revelations at NCFirstInFright.com and expand what they know about mysterious lights, recurring sights and unexplained sounds that have long been reported.

"The timing might scream 'Halloween,' but the spirit of First in Fright rises from age-old narratives instead of costumes and props," said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC. "The lore surrounding the Brown Mountain Lights near Morganton dates back centuries, and other stories have been retold for decades. It takes more skepticism than I can muster to dismiss the accounts, even if they're impossible to prove."

The First in Fright podcast directs intrepid travelers to places whose stories have endured attempts to explain them away. A Haunted Trail winds through Mountain Mysteries, the Paranormal Piedmont and the Creepy Coast. As they make their way through these regions, travelers can look into Spooky Stays for hotels where long-term guests have never checked out. For those in search of seasonal scares, a rundown of Halloween attractions and events addresses the quest.

"For anyone intrigued by ghosts, stories are the starting point," said Tuttell, who has stayed in the "Pink Lady Room" at Asheville's Omni Grove Park Inn (see Mountain Mysteries). "The podcasts bring the mysteries to life while letting listeners decide what to believe and what to dismiss."

Wrapped in immersive sound design, the eight podcast segments feature local storytellers and first-hand accounts from the people who experienced them. Episode themes include Carolina Cryptids, Unexplained Phenomena, Old North Witches and Traveling Terrors. Among the stories that await: 

• The Devil's Tramping Ground, a strangely barren clearing near Siler City. Curious campers can reserve a spot near the perfect circle of a site that some say is cursed by the devil himself.
• Battleship North Carolina, a well-decorated World War II vessel moored in Wilmington. Frequent paranormal reports have emerged: hatches mysteriously opening, lights switched on and off, and the appearance of a young sailor in the washroom. Beyond regular tours, travelers can watch for special events such as those offered this fall by Haunted Rooms of America.
• Brown Mountain Lights, a phenomenon that unfolds over Linville Gorge near Morganton. For hundreds of years, the appearance of mysterious lights have been described as rising above the peaks of Linville Gorge. The size, shape and color often change. Viewer guides are available at the Discover Burke visitor center downtown.
• Madison Dry Goods, a shop in downtown Madison that owes its popularity in part to its museum, which occupies a former funeral parlor space on the second floor. Hauntings tied to a family's murder in 1929 have been reported.

The free podcast, with episodes being released today and Oct. 1, can be accessed at NCFirstInFright.com or through Apple, Spotify and other major streaming platforms.

"North Carolina is known for being 'First in Flight,'" Tuttell said. "We're excited that travelers will now recognize our state as 'First in Fright' as well."

Photos: Find photos and graphic for download here.

About Visit North Carolina:  
Visit North Carolina is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, a private nonprofit corporation that serves as North Carolina's economic development organization. The EDPNC focuses on business and job recruitment, existing industry support, international trade, tourism and film marketing.   

The mission of Visit NC is to unify and lead the state in positioning North Carolina as a preferred destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events and film production. Each year, North Carolina welcomes about 43 million visitors who spend nearly $36 billion during their stay. The tourism industry employs more than 227,000 people and generates nearly $2.6 billion in state and local tax revenues. For travel ideas and inspiration, go to VisitNC.com.   

SOURCE Visit North Carolina