Get ready for a night of local history and music! Temple Hill Cemetery’s 12th annual Spirit Walk will take place on September 27th from 6 PM to 8 PM, inviting the community to explore the musical history of Geneseo.

This year’s torchlit tour will feature the stories of musicians buried in the historic cemetery. Community members of all ages are invited to take a guided stroll to various gravesites, where local actors, dressed in historical costumes, will tell the stories of notable musicians. You'll hear the fascinating histories and personal anecdotes of these special singers, teachers, and instrumentalists who helped bring music to life in the early years of Geneseo.

This family-friendly event will introduce you to figures like accomplished violinist Alice Booth and Esther

Campbell, a church organist and founder of the local Rochester Civic Music Association. You’ll also meet members of the Killip family, who had ties to the Normal Academy of Music, and hear a new side of John Olp Vanderbelt, a businessman from last year’s tour who was the leader of Geneseo’s 1860s Cornet Band.

Tours will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the final group stepping off at 7:45 p.m. A suggested donation of $5 per person or $20 per family is appreciated and can be paid with cash, check, or credit card. Participants are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate attire. The tour will conclude with complimentary cider and donuts.