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Speaking Engagements Folklore & Haunted History Lectures

Be sure to send your requests early. Roxie typically starts booking a year ahead!
Roxy holding a speaking event in front of a large crowd

All of our presentations are available through Zoom Virtual Classroom and in person!

Roxie Zwicker, founder of New England Curiosities has been sharing her stories of New England Legends, History and Lore since 1993. Her lectures and speaking engagements have captivated guests, business groups and organizations throughout New England. Some of the organizations Roxie has presented for include the National Haunters Convention, Maine Old Cemetery Association, Old Berwick Historical Society, Kiwanis New England, The University of Maine, Augusta, the Seacoast Science Center, Rundlett Middle School in Concord, Brick Store Museum, Rotary International, Wentworth By the Sea, New Hampshire Retired Teachers Association, Maine Retired Educators, the University of New Hampshire among many others. The Old Berwick Historical Society and the Bridgewater Historical Society said that the talks presented by Roxie were the most highly attended and successful of their speaker series.  In the summer months New England Curiosities has even told tales aboard the M/S Mount Washington on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee.

In addition Roxie has been on numerous radio shows and television programs throughout the region and the United States. Roxie is also a Toastmasters International Certified speaker.

There’s no need to wait until Halloween. These engagements are offered all year long! New England’s fascinating history and stories are just waiting to be told! 

Roxie can customize a program to fit your group’s specific needs. With a professional presentation her virtual tours can take your group on a visual journey to experience the stories and places from every corner of New England. References provided upon request.

Stories, Stones and Superstitions of New England Series

Take a virtual tour direct from the pages of Roxie’s four books on New England’s legendary graveyards. This presentation features intriguing burial grounds from the woods of Connecticut, the farm fields of Western Massachusetts, the mountains of New Hampshire and the shores of Maine. Learn about Colonial and Victorian burial customs and beliefs and the ghost stories from some of the most beautiful and some long forgotten cemeteries in the northeast. Learn the symbolism and stories behind some of New England’s oldest gravestones. Highlighted with Roxie’s gorgeous photography this is one of her most popular presentations. There are also variations on this program, we can adapt it for just Massachusetts, Maine or New Hampshire graveyards as well.

The Haunts & Mysteries of Salem, Massachusetts

Maritime Ghosts & Seafaring Spirits of New England

Maritime Ghosts and Seafaring Spirits. Some of the most dramatic legends and ghosts come from New England’s seafaring history and maritime past. This presentation takes guests on a voyage all along the scenic New England Coast, from points in Rhode Island to the beaches of Cape Cod and north to the rockbound landscape of New Hampshire and Maine. Tales of incredible shipwrecks and pirates from Colonial days are also included as well as dramatic accounts of haunted lighthouses, fierce storms, lonely ghost ships and mysterious forgotten islands are told on this virtual tour. Set sail with this presentation for a ghostly adventure.

Spirits of the Bay State - The Ghosts of Massachusetts

Ghosts of Massachusetts. The Bay State is home to some of the most historic places in America, what ghostly stories can be found walking down its many old roads and highways? Find curious abandoned places, haunted beaches, tavern ghosts and eerie cemeteries. Take a spirited virtual journey highlighting stops in many cities and towns and explore stories of legends on this fun tour of mysterious area haunts.

Spirits of the Granite State - The Ghosts of New Hampshire

A search of the legends and ghosts of New Hampshire. Follow the peaceful dirt roads to long forgotten ghost stories, you’ll hear superstitions from some of the quaint, small towns and learn of unusual occurences that still can’t be explained today. Find out some of the best places to explore spirited happenings. This presentation features tales from the White Mountains to the ghosts of the Seacoast. Journey through haunted woods, find mysterious cemeteries and be captivated by ghostly lighthouses during this virtual journey. New Hampshire has a lot more than just beautiful scenery – and this presentation will take you there.

New England Witchcraft Tales

Do you know the tales of other New England witches outside of Salem, Massachusetts? This presentation guides guests through witchcraft stories from western Massachusetts to New Hampshire and Maine for tales that you may not be so familiar with. Learn about some of the New England place names that relate to old witchcraft tales. The presentation also highlights the evolution of customs and superstitions relating to witchcraft throughout New England. Not all witches come from Salem!  Attendees might find themselves checking underneath their front doorstep, in their chimneys or in their backyards for remnants of these stories!

Haunted Portsmouth - Legends & Lore from the Colonial City by the Sea

Roxie literally wrote the book on this one. Taken from the pages of her first book, Haunted Portsmouth, this presentation is filled with fascinating facts about Portsmouth the “City of the open door”, and little known history as well, woven with intriguing true ghost stories. A journey through the side streets of this town’s local legends and lore that spans hundreds of years from fascinating Colonial tales to stories of the secrets beneath the city streets. Roxie has gathered captivating stories from the locals that they don’t share with everyone. This virtual tour also includes stories from Fort Constitution, Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse and the Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle, the tiny island that once was part of Portsmouth. We promise you won’t look at the city the same again after this presentation from a very entertaining perspective!

Legends, Lore & History of the Wentworth by the Sea

Join author Roxie Zwicker for a presentation on one of New Hampshire’s most legendary properties, the Wentworth by the Sea. Step back in time and take a virtual tour of the property, learn about the robber baron, Frank Jones and how he created a Victorian hotel in all its opulent glory. Hear stories about the legendary guests, parties and goings-on from over 100 years of history. Review the years when the hotel’s future was in peril and how it was resurrected with spirits from the past. Roxie has interviewed members of the Wentworth staff, former guests and the locals for an assemblage of tales you won’t soon forget.

Spirit Bridge - Connections to Healing and Inspiration.

Roxie has been working with her tour guests for a number of years to help them understand messages from the spirit world. This presentation literally goes beyond the veil to explore the many ways we can communicate with spirit and how to interpret the many different experiences that we can have. Guests will learn how to build a spiritual bridge to guides and ancestors who may be closer than they think. Guests will hear first hand stories of spiritual healing that Roxie has been a part of. This unforgettable presentation demonstrates what it’s like to talk to spirits and explains how they help us overcome life’s most difficult moments.

Other presentations available

The Victorian Parlor in New England Virtual Tour

The Victorian Parlor: Take a trip back in time to the days of the Victorian Parlor. Did you know the word parlor – meant to talk? The parlor was the focal point of many home and was often a gathering point for many curious happenings. In this presentation we will gather in a virtual parlor with Roxie Zwicker of New England Curiosities to explore some of the amazing stories from New England parlors. From evenings focused on spiritualism, seances and tea leaf readings to gatherings of both the somber and eccentric, what might you find when you walk inside these often richly decorated rooms?  Beautiful graphics and vintage photos bring guests back in time over 150 years ago for an eye opening gathering.

Halloween Folklore – History, Traditions & Customs

Join Roxie for an enchanted voyage into the magic and folklore of the Halloween season. The spiritual veil to the other world is at its thinnest at this time! The fields are bare, the leaves have fallen from the trees, and the skies are going gray and turning cold. The Halloween season offers us a variety of enchantments around us, from nuts, pumpkins, colorful leaves and cornstalks, you can feel the energy in the air!

Discover the intriguing history of Halloween in early America in this entertaining session full of spooky lore, games, decorations and customs. Dive into the traditions of the holiday and delight in Halloween themed divinatory tools, costumes and Victorian parties. If you’ve always loved the charms of Halloween, you’ll love this beautiful presentation that features antique photos and ephemera.

New England Beachcombing and Sea Glass History

It’s hard to resist the lure of beachcombing in New England with tales of shipwrecks and pirates dating back to the 16th century, where are the best places to walk the beach and find relics of the past?  What is sea glass?  How to you find it?  How do you identify it?  Roxie has amassed a collection of over 4,000 beach finds dating back to the 17th century.  She will share dramatic and historic stories of these locations to discover how these artifacts ended up in the sea. Plus, Roxie will share personal images of her collection along with fun tips and tricks to start collecting and identifying your finds!

Tales of the Weird and Wicked in New England

Join author and storyteller Roxie Zwicker for a fun evening of curious tales that shows New England has always had a quiet, weird side going back to Colonial Days. In this presentation Roxie will offer a look at some of the most unusual tales in her collection from eccentric people, odd omens and superstitious silliness. Stories of wicked people and their equally wicked deeds will also be told. View the old newspaper headlines and discover tales from every corner of New England that are creepy, unbelievable and just plain weird, told with a dash of humor and wit.

Haunted Road Trips of New England

Take a virtual road trip in this presentation along the strange highways and byways of New England with mystery maven, Roxie Zwicker of New England Curiosities. Discover secrets, fun landmarks, mysterious places and active haunts to explore for an unforgettable trip that will prompt you to start your own travels.

The Sorcery of Strange Skies in New England

Since New England’s Colonial days people have looked to the skies to interpret signs, unusual objects and curses. Join Roxie Zwicker of New England Curiosities for a look at the bizarre mysteries that have captivated people, brought about strange superstitions, fear of unknown and “what’s out there.” Explore lesser known tales and events during this captivating virtual tour and presentation. You’ll be looking up and pondering what’s out there after this presentation.

 

Victorian Mourning – Customs and Superstitions

Cemetery Symbolism and Superstition – Can be customized to local cemetery locations

Haunted Lighthouses and Ghost Ships of Northern New England

Secrets of Spiritualism in Victorian New England

Spirits of the Pine Tree State – The Ghosts of Maine

Spirits of Cape Cod and the Islands – Haunted Places, Folklore & Strange Tales

Spirit Communication – History, Tools & Techniques

Angels on Your Shoulders – Angel Signs, Symbols & Messages

Riding Through the Past – The History of Victorian Trolley Service from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to York, Maine