Pre-sold tickets for the Victorian Ghost Walk® have climbed by more than 600 percent compared to last year as visitors flock to what’s known as America's Most Haunted Neighborhood
Every street has a ghost tale, a household tragedy, or a secret far older than the one shown on HBO, and most guests walk away more fascinated by the area than by the crime.”— David DominéLOUISVILLE, KY, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — This fall, Old Louisville is drawing a noticeably larger wave of visitors, and much of that uptick can be traced to a two-part HBO documentary. Louisville Historic Tours says advance reservations for its Victorian Ghost Walk®, which takes place over a single weekend each October, have surged more than 600 percent relative to the same period in the prior year.
That spike follows the February 19 debut of Murder in Glitterball City on HBO, currently available for streaming on HBO Max. The production, created by World of Wonder and helmed by directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, draws from the 2021 nonfiction volume A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City, penned by Louisville writer and historian David Dominé, who also appears in the series. The story centers on a case that started in 2010 when authorities found Jamie Carroll's remains buried beneath a Victorian residence on South Fourth Street, along with the two trials that followed. Dominé and his offerings, including the Victorian Ghost Walk, are showcased throughout the production.
"After watching the documentary, people want to step onto the sidewalk and take in the neighborhood for themselves," said Dominé, who owns Louisville Historic Tours. "What catches them off guard is that the murder is just a tiny piece of the picture. Every street has a ghost tale, a household tragedy, or a secret far older than the one shown on HBO, and most guests walk away more fascinated by the area than by the crime."
According to Louisville Tourism, Old Louisville boasts one of the nation's largest groupings of restored Victorian houses, and the district has long served as a cornerstone of the city's autumn travel season through its ghost tours and the St. James Court Art Show.
Marking its 18th year, the Victorian Ghost Walk is an annual outdoor theater experience where lantern-carrying groups traverse gas-lit avenues into Gilded Age residences, with costumed performers portraying actual former inhabitants and sharing their tales of scandal, sorrow, and the unexplained. Penned by Dominé and staged by director Keith McGill, this year's event runs Friday through Sunday, October 16 to 18, with tours departing every quarter hour from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum, located at 1402 St. James Court. Admission is $40 plus fees, with proceeds supporting the South Fourth Street Association in Old Louisville.
Dominé personally guides the Glitter Ball City True Crime Tour, a walking excursion that delves into the case, the area's background, and Kentucky's enduring association with the mirrored disco ball—from the local innovator who secured a patent for an early model in 1917 to the Louisville facility that manufactured the majority of America's disco balls throughout the 1970s and '80s. The Old Louisville Ghost Tour, run by the company's guide staff, examines the district that HBO labels among the most haunted in the United States. Louisville Historic Tours also offers general Old Louisville walking excursions, with September and October consistently ranking as its peak months.
Tour dates, schedules, and ticket purchases can be found at louisvillehistorictours.com.
About Louisville Historic Tours
Established locally in 2004, Louisville Historic Tours provides guided ghost, walking, and true crime experiences through Old Louisville and downtown Louisville, led by area historians and storytellers. Founded by author David Dominé, the company earns praise from The New York Times and has appeared on HBO, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, the Travel Channel, A&E, SYFY, and other outlets. Additional details are available at louisvillehistorictours.com.
David Dominé
Louisville Historic Tours LLC
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