By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Berlin’s Calvin B. Taylor House Museum has a busy slate of events this month.

On Sunday, Oct. 13, the facility will show the Halloween classic “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” at 7 p.m. on its lawn. The event is free, but donations to the museum are welcome. Snacks will be for sale and attendees are encouraged to bring a chair or a blanket for comfortable viewing.

Taylor House President Melissa Reid said years ago Berlin hosted movie nights in the summer throughout the town, like at Henry or Stephen Decatur parks and Jefferson Street. Reid added the museum did a miniature Berlin Film Festival about six years ago and played Tuck Everlasting, which was based in Berlin.

Berlin’s movie tradition has slowed down, but the Taylor House hopes to bring it back. The summer showing of “Runaway Bride” for the 25th anniversary of the film’s release was “well attended,” and Reid said she has heard interest from a few residents and Berlin Mayor and Council members.

“Things like this are important because we are a museum and not just an event space,” Reid said. “We want to support the idea of being a museum. ‘Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ is an American story that fits with our historic house.”

Close to 100 folks attended the “Runaway Bride” showing last summer. While the event was special because it was the movie’s 25th anniversary, Reid is hopeful the museum will get lots of families to come out on Oct. 13.

“We felt like this would be a great opportunity to utilize the lawn, which is so great,” the museum president said. “People will have a safe space on the lawn.”

Taylor House intends to host more movie nights on the facility’s grass next summer.

The museum is also hosting a bingo night on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m. at the Sterling Tavern. The event is a fundraiser for the house. Attendees can purchase as many game cards as they wish for $2 each.

The funds raised will go back to the museum’s general fund for big projects like the 2026 partnership Taylor House is doing with Salisbury University to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

The Taylor House Museum’s October events also include the Saturday, Oct. 19 book festival from noon to 4 p.m. Local authors and publishers will be in attendance.

“The Taylor House motto is telling the stories of Berlin, so what better way than highlighting local authors and books?” Reid noted.

The Salisbury-based Secant Publishing, Ocean Pines’ Capricho Books and Berlin Greyhound Books will be present, along with authors Joe Moore of “Murder on Maryland’s Eastern Shore” and Clara Smalls, who will be hosting readings.

New to the book festival this year is the Berlin Book Award. Local independent publishers were asked to submit books in categories like adult fiction, adult nonfiction, young adult fiction, young adult nonfiction and children’s. Glass blower Jeff Auxer has created a physical trophy for the award.

Charlene Sharpe and the Buzzed Word operator Mickie Meinhardt are among the judges for the book prize.

Also added to the festival this year is spoken word poetry. Poets will take the last 15 minutes of every hour of the event to perform their pieces. Food will also be available.

“We are always appreciative when people come out and support the museum,” Reid said. “We hope people see that we are preserving the stories of Berlin. We live in a great small town with lots of great amazing stories.”