Escape the Haunted Library this Weekend
Escape the Haunted Library This Weekend
Ellicottville Memorial Library Hosts Halloween Escape Room Event for the Second Year
Do you have what it takes to solve multiple puzzles in a short amount of time? Have you ever wanted to test your ability to think under pressure? An escape room is a great challenge for family and friends, and there’s one right here in Ellicottville for a limited time! The Ellicottville Memorial Library invites guests to register to “Escape the Haunted Library” this Friday and Saturday, October 27-28th from 6:30-8:30pm. (Registration is required to guarantee a start time; call 716-699-2842 asap!)
“The escape room idea came about last fall when we were looking for a fun event to host here at the library,” said Ellicottville Memorial Library Assistant Samantha Hurst. "Several other libraries in the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System have done escape rooms with great success. The library system even loans out kits to help in creating your own unique escape room. It was something we decided to try and we were overwhelmed with how popular it was!”
If you participated in last year’s escape room at the library, you know how much fun it was, and library staff encourages you to do it again! “This year we’ve changed the escape room up and created a whole new experience,” explained Samantha. “A new haunting narrative will have participants following never-before-seen clues to solve unique puzzles and escape before time runs out. So guests from last year will have a brand new challenge, along with the people participating for the first time!”
Not only is this event family-friendly, it’s also FREE! There is no age limit (although children younger than 12 do need to be accompanied by an adult), and while the atmosphere of the escape room is spooky, it’s not scary so it will be fun for all ages. Groups of no more than 5 are recommended, and everyone is encouraged to dress up.
For those unfamiliar with how an escape room works, Samantha breaks it down for us: “Escape room participants are locked inside the library and have 20 minutes to escape before the ghosts get them. They have to follow clues and solve puzzles to find the key to the door. Each team that escapes the haunted library within the time will receive a prize and their team name will be added to our winner’s board. Last year the prize for winners was each member received a full size candy bar and for those who didn’t win, they still received mini bars. So honestly, everyone's a winner here, whether you escape or not. It’s all in good fun!”
WEEKLY ACTIVITIES
The Ellicottville Memorial Library offers a number of other ways to enjoy their space, many of them on a weekly basis. Some of these activities and resources include:
Story Time: Wednesdays from 9:30-10:00am. Come join Dr. Kate for a story or two, sing along to some songs, and then make a craft.
Crafts with Cathy (for adults): Tuesdays from 2:00-3:00pm. Come for a relaxing, stress free, creative break in your day. Check with the library for details.
Knitting (& Crochet) Club: Every other Monday from 6:00-8:00pm. All abilities welcome; just bring some yarn and your needles! Some supplies are available to help beginners get started. Call or check the library’s website for dates.
Newspapers: The Ellicottville Memorial Library provides free digital access to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Browse in the library or enjoy remote access wherever you read the news.
Young Adult Book Club: This book club invites teens to get together and read a specific popular YA book once a month. Contact the library at 716-699-2842 to sign up or to receive more information.
Exercise Classes: Various exercise classes take place at the library. Contact the library at 716-699-2842 for a schedule.
Digital Materials: Don’t forget that with your library card, you can access over 22,500 eBooks and eAudiobooks and read or listen on any device. If you need assistance with accessing these materials, please stop into the library. You can also find information on new arrivals of books, upcoming events and classes, and browse the system catalog for books, eBooks and movies at ellicottvillelibrary.org.
