The spookiest season on East Martin Street.
For years, each October the Historic Apollo transformed into a haunted theatre — the beloved Apolloween tradition that thrilled generations of Martinsburg families.
Our dedicated haunted-attraction space has since taken its final bow — reborn as expanded rehearsal and performance space so we can bring even more live theatre to our stage. But the Apolloween spirit is far from gone.
Every grand old theatre keeps a ghost, and ours is named George. The stories go back to the mid-1970s: a stagehand’s spirit who never clocked out — a quiet figure with a brown beard, a flannel shirt under bib overalls, glimpsed at the back of the house or along the edge of the stage, gone between blinks.
Regulars say you don’t always see George — you smell him first, a drift of cigar smoke in a building where nobody has lit one in decades. And as the folklore goes, he isn’t alone: a second spirit, Charlie, is said to have managed the theatre back in the 1920s. Believe what you like — but stand backstage on a quiet night, and it’s easy to understand how the stories started.
Apolloween Lives On through Special Events
Today the Halloween season comes to life through special events — from The Rocky Horror Picture Show to paranormal-themed nights and more. Keep an eye on our calendar each fall for what’s haunting the Apollo next.
October 24, 2026The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Apollo Shadow CastOctober 31, 2026The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Apollo Shadow CastThe Rocky Horror Picture Show
The crown jewel of Apolloween: every October the cult classic returns to the Apollo’s big screen, and the house comes alive — costumes, callbacks, prop bags, and yes, the toilet paper flies. It’s part movie, part party, and entirely a Martinsburg tradition. Watch the calendar each fall for this year’s night.
Paranormal Investigations
Spend the after-hours investigating one of Martinsburg’s most historic buildings. Paranormal Investigations run 11 PM to 3 AM and are led alongside the Mid-Atlantic Paranormal Investigations group — available as a group rental throughout the year.
Cost: $350 for a group of up to 10 (each additional guest $35; we recommend 16 or fewer). A $175 deposit holds your date, with the balance due before your investigation.
Patrons 17 & under must be accompanied by an adult — ID required.