Join author and storyteller Mark Leslie for a chilling journey through haunted history, ghostly stories, eerie folklore, and more.
With over a half dozen books exploring the supernatural, including his latest collection, Ghost Stories of the Great Lakes, Mark has spent years documenting the spine-tingling reports that lurk in the corners of our local communities. Just in time for Halloween he'll take you on a virtual tour to spotlight some of his favorite haunts and the stories that keep him awake at night.
In this special presentation, Mark will weave together tales from his extensive portfolio of true haunting investigations—from phantom ships on the inland seas to the restless spirits echoing through the streets of various Canadian locations, including a few tales from right here in Waterloo Region. He'll share a behind-the-scenes look at the research, the eyewitness accounts, and the legends that refuse to fade away.
The evening will feature a combination of visuals to accompany engaging tales similar to the ones you might expect to hear around a campfire or in a haunted parlor, and will include a few brief readings from his latest books and a deep dive into the craft of a life spent fascinated with and researching the paranormal.
About the Author
The first person in almost any room to admit he is a gigantic chicken, Waterloo author Mark Leslie is a dedicated explorer of the uncanny and a veteran storyteller of numerous books investigating true local hauntings and the supernatural. From the eerie legends of his acclaimed first book Haunted Hamilton (short-listed for the Hamilton Literary Awards and selected for the Haldimand Region's One Book, One Community selection for 2025), to the deep, phantom-filled waters of his latest collection, Ghost Stories of the Great Lakes, Mark has spent decades unearthing the restless spirits and dark folklore of Canadian regional history. A long-standing voice in speculative fiction and horror, he specializes in bringing spine-tingling history and eyewitness paranormal accounts into the light for readers who love a good scare.
Tickets for this free event will go on sale Sep 23, 2026, 12:00 PM. CLICK HERE for details.