A century-old Victorian mansion known for its reported ghostly residents is inviting guests to step into another kind of mystery this weekend.
Burn Brae Mansion will host Murder at the Mansion: A Hippie Homicide on July 11, combining a themed dinner, live entertainment and an interactive whodunit inspired by the spirit of the 1960s. Guests are encouraged to wear tie-dye and other hippie-era attire as they help solve a fictional murder during the outdoor event.
For co-owner Andy Russ, the murder mystery productions are the result of decades spent refining a format that appeals to both enthusiastic participants and more casual audiences.
Russ said he began performing in murder mystery productions about 30 years ago before eventually producing his own shows roughly two decades ago.
“I put a formula together where I think it works and everybody’s happy,” Russ said. “You can either get very much involved with the murder mystery or you could just hang out at your table and just take notes and figure it out.”
A nod to Woodstock
Although many of Burn Brae’s murder mysteries are held during the fall, when Halloween season complements the mansion’s reputation for paranormal activity, Russ said this summer’s event was inspired by the region’s connection to Woodstock.
The hippie theme also makes it easy for guests to embrace the era through costumes.
“We like people to dress up,” Russ said. “People can come and dress in their greatest hippie outfit or their tie-dye and just be part of the scene.”
A mansion with a history
Beyond its themed events, Burn Brae Mansion has built a reputation as a destination for history enthusiasts, paranormal investigators and overnight guests.
The property was built in 1908 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While many reportedly haunted locations are abandoned or deteriorating, he said Burn Brae surprises first-time visitors because of its careful restoration.
“It’s a beautiful Victorian mansion,” Russ said. “It’s been fully restored to the way it was.”
According to Russ, visitors and investigators have reported hearing footsteps, doors opening and closing, babies crying, voices and even organ music.
He said many of those reported experiences appear connected to the mansion’s history. The original owner was an organist, and the property served as a summer retreat for members of the Singer Sewing family through the Mackenzie family.
Russ believes the atmosphere reflects that history.
“It was a place of joy,” he said, noting that the reported spirits are generally described as friendly rather than frightening. “It’s more Casper than evil.”
Living alongside the legends
After years at the mansion, Russ said he’s become accustomed to unexplained occurrences.
“There have been doors that slam behind me,” he said. “I’d hear a voice when I know I’m the only one in the place.”
While Russ says he’s largely become desensitized to those experiences, he noted that some psychics and empaths have found the property’s atmosphere overwhelming.
He recalled an episode of the television series Psychic Kids that filmed at Burn Brae. According to Russ, members of the production ultimately chose not to stay overnight after determining the mansion’s reported paranormal activity was too intense.
Dinner, mystery and summer fun
Despite the mansion’s haunted reputation, Russ emphasized that this weekend’s event is designed to be fun rather than frightening.
Whether visitors arrive hoping to solve a murder, enjoy a summer evening in costume or simply experience one of the Catskills’ most unusual destinations, Russ says there’s room for every level of participation.
“You can get really involved,” he said, “or you could just sit around and watch the show unfold and have just as good a time.”
Image: Burn Brae Mansion was the final of seven elaborate summer mansions built by George Ross Mackenzie’s children in Glen Spey. It is one of only three that still survive today. (Burn Brae Mansion)