Haunted Healy, midnight howls, and The Exorcist: Georgetown University's Halloween story

Imagine attending a university where Halloween is not just a one-night celebration but a full-campus ritual, complete with haunted hallways, ghost rumours, midnight howling sessions, and screenings of one of the scariest films ever made. At Georgetown University, the spooky season arrives with a chilling history that blurs the line between cinema and campus folklore.

That connection becomes even more eerie when you realise that The Exorcist(1973), the horror classic that terrified generations and redefined horror cinema, was filmed in and around Georgetown University itself. But the story behind the film is even creepier.

William Peter Blatty, author of The Exorcist and a Georgetown alumnus, was inspired to write the book after reading about a real-life exorcism that reportedly took place in Mount Rainier during his university years. When the novel was later adapted into a film, Georgetown became the haunting backdrop for what many still consider one of the scariest movies of all time.

But Halloween at Georgetown is not just about its connection to a legendary horror film. Students here do far more than throw on costumes and attend parties for one night. Every year, the campus transforms into a giant Halloween playground where haunted houses, horror screenings, ghost stories, and bizarre midnight traditions collide to create one of the unique university celebrations in the United States.

INSIDE HAUNTED HEALY, GEORGETOWN’S HOUSE OF HORRORS

At the heart of Georgetown’s spooky celebrations is Haunted Healy, a long-running tradition organised by the Georgetown Programming Board, also known as GPB. According to the university’s official website, for more than 40 years, students have transformed the second floor of Healy Hall into a terrifying haunted house on the Saturday before Halloween.

Student volunteers dress up as eerie creatures, hide in dark corners, leap out of shadowy hallways, and chase visitors through the dimly lit building. It is exactly the kind of chaos students love. After all, who does not enjoy a perfectly timed jumpscare every now and then?

What makes Haunted Healy even creepier is the legend surrounding the building itself. According to campus lore, the upper floors of Healy Hall have long been linked to paranormal sightings. Some students even believe that certain parts of the building remain sealed because an exorcism once took place there.

While there is no official confirmation of these stories, the rumours have only added to Healy Hall’s reputation as one of the eeriest places on campus.

THE FILM THAT STILL HAUNTS GEORGETOWN: THE EXORCIST (1973)

Halloween season at Georgetown feels extra spooky because of its deep connection to The Exorcist. Released in 1973, the film was shot in and around Georgetown’s campus and remains closely tied to the university’s identity.

Blatty drew inspiration for the story after reading about a reported exorcism case in Mount Rainier during his time at Georgetown. When the story made its way to the big screen, the university became the setting for a film that would go on to haunt audiences for decades.

To honour this legacy, GPB hosts an annual late-night screening of The Exorcist on Copley Lawn on the night before Halloween. But it is not just a movie screening. The atmosphere feels more like a festival. Night markets pop up around the venue, students gather for food and drinks, and the excitement slowly builds as everyone prepares for the strangest tradition of the night.

WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES 12, GEORGETOWN HOWLS

Just when it seems the celebrations cannot get any stranger, Georgetown introduces its most bizarre Halloween ritual: the Healy Howl.

As midnight approaches, students walk towards the Jesuit graveyard. Then, the moment the clock strikes 12 and Halloween officially begins, hundreds of students howl at the moon together.

Strange? Absolutely. Creepy? Definitely.

But for Georgetown students, the Healy Howl is more than just a random Halloween activity. Over the years, it has become a tradition of release, community, and shared madness. For one night, students gather together to scream into the darkness and fully embrace the strange energy that defines Halloween at Georgetown.

In fact, according to Georgetown’s official website, the tradition was once featured by Niche as one of the most outrageous college traditions in the United States. And honestly, how many universities can say their Halloween celebrations include haunted halls, horror movie history, ghost rumours, and hundreds of students howling beside a graveyard at midnight?