An original murderous adventure steeped in the gin-spiked glamor of the 20’s.

It’s a Spillian created mystery,  with characters drawn from literature and history, inspired by the lore of 20’s icons (and gangsters!) who once roamed the Catskills mountains looking for entertainment, escape from the prying eyes of the police and, well, a bit of nefarious activity.

We’re thrilled to offer you a chance to dive into this mystery — part of our partnership with friend and  filmmaker Alex Harvey as he shapes an upcoming full length independent feature film set at Spillian with this mystery at its heart. Come and be a part of a murder…and the birth of a film!
When you arrive…
You all have received your invitations for Jack Goodwin and Violet DeWitt’s famous – or infamous – birthday house party in their Catskills mansion. It’s going to be a party that was far more than (most of you) planned for… A mystery whodunnit in high style.
As F. Scott himself said, “Never miss a party…good for the nerves–like celery.”

 

When you arrive…

You all have received your invitations for Jack Goodwin and Violet DeWitt’s famous – or infamous – birthday house party in their Catskills mansion. It’s going to be a party that was far more than (most of you) planned for… A mystery who-dunnit in high style.

As F. Scott himself said, “Never miss a party…good for the nerves–like celery.”

This year, you have been invited for the weekend up to their Catskills cottage (really a rustically luxurious estate) for an informal dinner and dancing, with good gin flowing out of the reach and eyes of the New York police. Or the Feds.

To entertain their guests, the Goodwins have secured the services of a famous Russian Gypsy medium, Madame Plavatski, for the evening on Saturday to tell fortunes to those guests who wish to see into their future and remember their past.

You may know some of the guests, you won’t know all of them. And you may not trust any of them. You may well have secrets you want to keep to yourself and there’s a darn good chance that you’re not alone.

But come, enjoy some hot jazz, get just a bit splifficated, and remember, if anything goes wrong, keep your friends close and your enemies closer…

Mythic Catskills Weekends

Spillian’s Mythic Catskills Weekends are an intersection with the essence of the Catskills: the forests, the mountains, the people, the deep stories that make this place so compelling.

Each weekend celebrates a facet of this gem-like place: its food, its fish and streams, its ringing summer, its snow-spangled winters, its flowing creative life force.

Come for a weekend of grand adventure. Feast. Explore. Hear the great stories and share your own.  Revel in the mythic possibility of the Catskills and find where it sings in your life – and then bring that song back home with you.

Murder on the Mountain: A Mythic Catskills Weekend | What’s Included

Friday

• 6 PM: A robust farm-to-table charcuterie, including local meats, cheeses, spring greens, house-made hummus, relishes, chutneys, tarts, and more from our neighboring farmers and food producers.
• 6:30 PM: A tasting of the extraordinary spirits of our friends at the aptly-named Prohibition Distillery, led by their tasting room manager & master taster.
• 9 PM: Cash bar, and tales, real and mythic, about the history of the bootleggers and gangsters of the ’20’s in the Catskills, including the mystery of Dutch Schultz’ lost treasure.

Saturday

• 9 AM: A classic Spillian Catskills breakfast featuring eggs from Spillian Farm’s ridiculous chickens.
• 10 AM: A moving meditation with Spillian co-founder Leigh Melander, going deep into images of the mountains and metaphors of rising spring.
• 11 AM to 5 PM: Explore the Catskills on your own, the back of your eyelids by the fire at Spillian, or prep for the murderous mystery. We’ll have 20’s films running in the background, board games at the ready, books, and a whole list of the very best slang from the era for you to practice, so you know your onions for the evening!
  • Get gussied up in 20’s style with a hair and makeup session with the magic-fingered stylist Karen Neblung.
  • Choose one of our ‘take yourself on an adventure’ itineraries:
    • a trip to the Devil’s Tombstone…maybe the landing place of Dutch Shultz’ treasure
    • antiquing in the area to get yourself in the historic mood
    • a wander to two of the area’s nearby craft distilleries and breweries to remove any lingering doubt about whether you can jump into character that evening
    • a stroll in Spillian’s woods to discover the remnants of our very own still from another era
• 5 PM: Cocktails featuring gin rickey’s Spillian style, with live music from the 20’s from singer Andy Cahill and pianist Adam Ippolito. You’ll arrive in costume and in character, and introduce yourself to your fellow guests…and the murderous games begin!
• 7 PM: Dinner and a mystery. A 1920’s-inspired feast from Spillian’s chef around the grand feasting table with a bit of murder on the side…

Sunday

• 9 AM: A classic Spillian Catskills breakfast featuring eggs from Spillian Farm’s ridiculous chickens.
• 10 AM: Cooking class with Spillian’s chef Christian Van Etten with a classic 1920’s dish…
• 11 AM: Farewell feast of your culinary masterpiece

Pricing and Registration

Murder on the Mountain For a Couple: $695
For the couple, double room occupancy. Full weekend fee includes all sessions including all meals, Prohibition Tasting, moving meditation; cooking class; and lodging at Spillian. Evening cash bar, tax, and gratuities not included. Click here to learn more about our splendid guest rooms!

Optional Primping Hair and Makeup Session with stylist Karen Neblung
Hair: $50
Hair and Makeup: $65
We’ll set appointments for you upon your arrival for the weekend.

We’ll ask you a couple of questions on the registration form to match you with the best character for you! Once we’ve had a chance to match characters to guests, you’ll receive an invitation to Jack and Violet’s party, and a description of your character with costuming and prop suggestions. When you arrive, you’ll receive information about any secrets you might hold, might know about others, and clues about what to do and watch for during the soiree.