Martians Are Landing in West Windsor! Or Are They…?

On Halloween weekend back in 1938, Orson Welles took H.G. Wells’ story “The War of the Worlds” and broadcast over the radio that Martians were landing in Grovers Mill, West Windsor. Listeners panicked in what turned out to be one of the greatest Halloween hoaxes of all time. Residents of the surrounding area went berserk, calling 911 and running out of their homes, thinking that the act, put on by members of The Mercury Theatre, was real.

Now, every year, residents of West Windsor celebrate with alien-themed events, and this year’s Martian Weekend is packed with what “could have” happened if the news broadcast was actually true.

From October 24 to 26, families can head to West Windsor’s parks and look for pictures or Martians that are hidden in a self-guided scavenger hunt.

Friday night will be a radio reenactment at 7 pm at Grovers Mill Coffee. You’re encouraged to participate, while snacking on desserts and coffee, as you listen to the original broadcast of “War of the Worlds.”

Saturday includes trunk-or-treating at the West Windsor History Museum at the Schenck Farmstead from 2 to 4 pm. There will be arts, crafts and music.

Sunday kicks off with the Martian Bike Ride, starting at 10:15 am from Grovers Mill Coffee. You’ll take a guided ride past historic sites that are mentioned in the broadcast.

Wind up at Van Nest Park, where members of the Delaware Valley Radio Association will set up a ham radio station from 12 to 5 pm – right near the fictional site of the Martian landing – and talk to other ham radio uses from around the world.

In the afternoon, West Windsor Arts will present a brand-new play about the broadcast’s creation and legacy, called “Hysteria! Or They Came Through the Air,” at 4 pm. After the two-hour reading by local actors, you can stay for a talkback with the playwright, director and creative team—including members of the Historical Society of West Windsor.

Editor’s Note: Always check times, dates and weather updates before heading out.

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