MOOSE JAW — Families will soon have a new way to enjoy Moose Jaw’s trolley experience, with Tourism Moose Jaw launching its first child-focused ghost tour this September.
The new ride, “Happy Haunts,” is designed for younger audiences and offers lighthearted stories rather than the spookier tales featured on the city’s true crime and other evening tours. It’s set to run Friday evenings at 6 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 3:30 p.m., beginning Sept. 5.
“We have a lot of families who want to bring their kids on the evening tours, and sometimes they run a little later, so we thought we would introduce this one — it’s a little earlier in the evening,” said Lynette Biech, trolley supervisor with Tourism Moose Jaw.
Each ride lasts about 30 to 35 minutes and features a selection of six or seven stories based around the attention span of a three- or four-year-old guest. Rather than featuring specific stops, the trolley will wind through different streets in the city, sharing short tales along the way in a continuous run.
“(The new tour is) also extremely child friendly, and we’ve geared it for ages four to about 12. Of course, it’s open to anybody,” Biech said. “They’re not spooky ghost stories — they’re a little bit on the lighter side and happier. I think it’ll be something that kids will enjoy.
“There’s a story about a cat, there’s a story about a friendly ghost, and there’s a story about the train yard,” she continued. “So it’s all … different things that might interest children.”
Biech said the idea came from wanting to make trolley tours more accessible to visitors of all ages.
“I’m always looking for something new to put out and give people new opportunities and new things to see,” she explained. “A lot of our … evening tours are geared a lot to adults, like our true crime tour (which is) adults only. I thought this would be a great way to target the younger audience.”
Beyond appealing to children, the idea was also timed to coincide with the lead-up to Halloween.
“We’re bringing it out this time of year, of course, as the Halloween season is coming up. We’re hoping it will provide another option for folks … (and) maybe something extra for them to do with their little ones,” Biech added.
Like other ghost tours, Happy Haunts will blend local storytelling with the unique experience of riding Moose Jaw’s historic trolley. The difference, Biech emphasized, is that children will leave with grins instead of goosebumps.
“It’s just a way for them to come out, hear some fun stories, and enjoy their evening,” she said.
Tickets are available now and can be booked online at TourismMooseJaw.com by clicking on the “Tours” section or in person at Tourism Moose Jaw’s kiosk, located at 450 Diefenbaker Drive. Tourism Moose Jaw can be reached at 306-693-8097.
