FrankenWines: A spooky night at Union Cemetery

If you had your heart set on FrankenWines this autumn, the good news is that it did happen — though the date shifted. The event landed on Tuesday, October 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, with gates opening at 5:30, a few weeks ahead of All Hallows' Eve. It was co-presented by the Young Friends of the Kansas City Public Library and the Union Cemetery Historical Society, and the setting was hard to beat: Union Cemetery, 227 East 28th Terrace, Kansas City, MO 64108.

For anyone who missed it or is planning for the next one, it's worth knowing what you're signing up for. This isn't a wine-and-cheese mixer; it's a terrifying storytelling event. The $20 ticket came with a sweet treat and a beverage, with both boozy and non-alcoholic options on the table, and the whole thing was strictly 21 and over. Seating was first-come, first-served in a designated grassy area, so the smart move was to bring your own blanket and chair.

The venue is half the draw. Union Cemetery is Kansas City's oldest public cemetery, founded in 1857, and it holds more than 55,000 souls — including many of the city's founders, along with politicians, artists, entrepreneurs, veterans, and everyday residents. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 2016, and is maintained by both the Kansas City Parks Department and the Union Cemetery Historical Society. The land was originally claimed to serve both the town of Westport and the town of Kansas, which grew into the Kansas City we know today.

Across its 27 acres, the cemetery honors veterans from every war from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War. A few of the names you'll find there: artist George Caleb Bingham, Pony Express co-founder Alexander Majors, Westport founder John Calvin McCoy, and Harriet "Hattie" Drisdom Kearney, the first African American buried in the white section. The Sexton's Cottage doubles as the visitors center and gift shop, and private tours are available by request through historian and vice president Heather Faries, with a suggested $10 donation per person.

Behind the scenes, the Union Cemetery Historical Society has been at work for years. Founded in 1984 as a 501(c)(3), its mission is to restore, maintain, and preserve the cemetery's burial records and history. Volunteers have spent five years digitizing those records into software called Crypt Keeper, which is a fitting name for the job. If you want to keep track of the next edition or reach out with questions, the organizers can be reached at yfolkc@gmail.com. It's the kind of event that rewards a little planning — bring a chair, bring a friend, and come ready for a night of stories in one of the city's most storied places.