EVENT BOOKINGS
Ursula is available for in-person events at just about any location worldwide on a limited basis, as well as for online lectures for libraries, schools, clubs and professional organizations. Please inquire about your program with the form below, and thank you for your interest.
TOPICS ON THE PARANORMAL & SUPERNATURAL
Paranormal Minefield
An interest in the supernatural is natural and, for many of us as spiritual beings, deeply compelling. Few people need encouragement to explore reports of ghosts, hauntings, mediumship, clairvoyance, séances and demonic possession. But how well informed are the goals and methods of modern paranormal research and investigation? Is the ghost hunter’s toolbox a spiritual Pandora’s box?
Ghost boxes, K2 meters and other popular ghost-hunting devices are used by millions of people and appear to open lines of communication between this world and the next. But who—or what—are these entities, and what do they want from us?
Ursula Bielski is a lifelong Catholic, cultural and intellectual historian, and paranormal investigator with more than thirty-five years of experience. Join her for this fascinating and important examination of the spiritual dangers and possible benefits of paranormal inquiry—and learn how to draw responsible boundaries around the search for the unknown.
Shadows of My Former Self: A Ghost Hunter’s Reckoning
During more than three decades of work as a paranormal investigator, Ursula Bielski has pursued reports of ghosts, hauntings, poltergeists, demonic infestations and other extraordinary phenomena in her native Chicago and around the world.
She began her work with the mission of spreading knowledge of the afterlife—and ultimately of God—to others. Gradually, however, she found herself drawn into the occult practices of contemporary paranormal investigation, many of which had been given modern, scientific disguises. From ghost radios and radionics machines to electromagnetic meters marketed as ghost detectors, Ursula became adept at using them all. When Catholics and other Christians questioned her methods, she defended them as scientific research.
Over time, however, these ancient practices in modern dress began to take a terrible toll. During the final years in which she used these tools, Ursula found herself in the throes of what she came to recognize as demonic vexation. She heard voices, frequently awoke with handprint-shaped bruises on her body and became obsessed with visiting haunted locations where reports of demonic activity were especially intense. Disturbing phenomena invaded her family home, while inexplicable rifts developed between Ursula and those closest to her.
A shocking series of events during the final year of her mother’s life forced Ursula into a dark period of reckoning, during which the spiritual realities of her life’s work were devastatingly revealed.
UFOs and the Occult
Investigation of the UFO phenomenon has grown into one of the most enigmatic and controversial movements in modern history. In an age of artificial intelligence and renewed lunar exploration, its scientific trappings cloak the phenomenon in modern garb and give it broad appeal among secular, forward-thinking audiences.
Peel back the layers, however, and the origins and engines of ufology appear ancient indeed, drawing upon the beliefs and practices of Spiritualism, Theosophy, ceremonial magic, mysticism and other esoteric traditions.
Join paranormal investigator, cultural historian and author Ursula Bielski for an exploration of the strange personalities and practices behind the UFO enigma. We will examine the connections among Aleister Crowley, L. Ron Hubbard and Jack Parsons, the pioneering rocket scientist associated with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We will also consider how some of the most compelling phenomena of the UFO movement—including the explosion of contactee and abduction experiences—have been connected to Ouija boards and ritual conjuring.
Finally, we will delve into the mysterious legend of the so-called Collins Elite, a purported group of government agents said to have opposed what they believed was a diabolical pact between the United States government and fraudulent extraterrestrials.
Impossible Things: The Strange Reality of Permanent Paranormal Objects
Paranormal activity is generally assumed to be nonphysical, fleeting and peripheral. Throughout the history of supernatural experience, however, tangible evidence has sometimes remained after extraordinary events.
Join parapsychologist and cultural historian Ursula Bielski as she shares startling stories of what she calls Permanent Paranormal Objects, or PPPs. These include objects apparently burned by the hands of ghosts, “thoughtographs” created by the human mind, letters that fell from the air during demonic infestations, alleged UFO crash material and the strange case of the “Gold Leaf Lady,” whose skin reportedly manifested patches of glittering metal.
Extreme Hauntings: The Bell Witch, the Wizard Clip and other Terrifying True Paranormal Cases
Everybody loves a ghost story, but sometimes things get out of hand. Join parapsychologist and cultural historian Ursula Bielski as she takes us on a disturbing trip through some of the most terrifying and unusual cases in the annals of paranormal investigation. From a disembodied voice that terrorized a Tennessee family for years (The Bell Witch) to a Southwestern home littered with letters from the dead that fell from the air (The Devil in Texas) to a phantom pair of shears that decapitated a West Virginia farmer’s chickens, these bizarre and frightening true cases will take you down some of the darkest roads in the history of the Unexplained.
Cryptids of the Americas
The recent explosion of interest in Bigfoot, Skinwalker, Mothman and other American enigmas seems crazy in a modern culture like ours. What is there about these seemingly mythological creatures that is drawing the attention of increasing numbers of people of all ages and from all walks of life? Parapsychologist and cultural historian Ursula Bielski uncovers the startling modern manifestations of these often ancient creatures from Native American lore and invites us to ask the daring question: “Is there more to these creatures than mere folklore?
CEMETERY HISTORY
Folklore of American Cemeteries
Cemetery historian and folklorist Ursula Bielski (author of "Graveyards of Chicago") takes us on an armchair excursion through the sometimes terrifying and often amusing folklore of America's most infamous cemeteries, from the graves of witches, vampires and werewolves to vanishing hitchhikers, death chairs and "stairways to Hell."
Lost in the Woods: The Real and Unreal Story of Bachelors Grove
Shrouded in mystery and protected by the forest preserves of Illinois’ Cook County, the one-acre enclosure known as Bachelors Grove Cemetery is not only one of the Chicago area’s most haunted places but one of the most paranormal hotspots on Earth. Join Ursula Bielski, author of “Haunted Bachelors Grove,” for a trip through the history and mystery of this enigmatic burying ground.
Folklore of Chicago Cemeteries
Cemeteries are home to some of the world’s great legends, and Chicago boasts some of the most infamous graveyard lore of any place on Earth. Grab a shovel and join historian and Graveyards of Chicago author Ursula Bielski as she unearths the backstories of Resurrection Mary—the Southland cemetery’s world renowned “vanishing hitchhiker”--, the tragic history behind the haunting of Bachelors Grove—one of the world’s most haunted places--, the haunting tale of Julia Buccola—Chicago’s own “incorruptible”--, and much more.
CHICAGO-BASED PRESENTATIONS
Chicago Hauntings: True Ghost Stories of the Windy City
In 1997 Ursula Bielski’s groundbreaking book, Chicago Haunts became the first volume to document the Windy City’s classic ghost stories. Called “a masterpiece of the genre,” the book was built from thousands of hours of research and interviews and spawned two sequels and numerous imitative titles. From the ghosts of the Fort Dearborn Massacre to the phantoms of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre . . . from the wraith of John Dillinger to the wanderings of the famed vanishing hitchhiker Resurrection Mary . . . from the haunting of Lincoln Park to the ghosts of Archer Avenue . . . Ursula uncovered the truth behind them all, and will thrill patrons with her legendary dossier of phantom encounters.
The Haunting of Joliet Prison: The Brutal Past and Paranormal Present of One of the World’s Most Notorious Penitentiaries
In 2018 Ursula contracted with the City of Joliet to create haunted history tours and ghost hunts at the matchless Old Joliet Prison, one of the most notorious penitentiaries in history. Together with her team, she conducted numerous investigations at the physical prison and poured over more than a century and a half of prison history, weaving them together into the first ghost tours in the prison’s existence. This lecture takes you through the dark history of the prison, the escapades of its most notorious inmates, the truth about the old prison cemetery, and the almost unbelievable truth about the ghosts of the prison today.
Ghosts in the Graveyard: Chicago’s Haunted Cemeteries
Some of Chicago’s most infamous ghost stories hail from her legendary cemeteries. Join cemetery historian and ghostlorist Ursula Bielski as she shares tales of the phantom house of Bachelors Grove, the vanishing hitchhiker Resurrection Mary, the “Italian Bride” of Mount Carmel, the ghosts of Sag Bridge churchyard and so many more chilling, historic tales of the supernatural.
Ghosts of Gangland: Hauntings of Capone’s Chicago
The Prohibition era remains one of the deadliest in modern history, and Chicago was the dark heart of it. Chicago paranormal investigator Ursula Bielski shares chilling tales of the city’s mob hit sites, bootlegging kings and more in this in-depth look at the ghosts of Gangland Chicago.
Wild Nights: Ghosts and Hauntings of Chicago’s Lincoln Park
In 2016 Chicago historian and paranormal investigator Ursula Bielski was invited to design a ghost tour for Lincoln Park Zoo—Chicago’s zoological gardens built on the city’s original cemetery grounds. What she and her team found in their preparatory investigations turned out to be some of the most bone-chilling evidence of the paranormal ever uncovered. Learn about the dark history of Lincoln Park, the truth of the “abandoned” cemetery, the vanished “Suicide Bridge” and the ghosts of the zoo in this truly haunting talk.
Strange Angles: Chicago’s Haunted Structures
Chicago was the birthplace of modern architecture and remains a mecca for aspiring builders even today. Learn about the ghosts and hauntings of some of Chicago’s most iconic structures, including the Hancock Center, Marina City, the Museum of Science and Industry and more—and of ghostly tales associated with some of the city’s most esteemed architects--in this fascinating lecture from twelve-time author and paranormal researcher Ursula Bielski.
Lost in the Woods: The Real and Unreal Story of Bachelors Grove
Shrouded in mystery and protected by the forest preserves of Cook County, the one-acre enclosure known as Bachelors Grove Cemetery is not only one of Chicago’s most haunted places but one of the most paranormal hotspots on Earth. Join Ursula Bielski, author of “Haunted Bachelors Grove,” for a trip through the history and mystery of this enigmatic burying ground.
Haunts of the White City: True Ghost and Gothic Tales of H.H. Holmes, the World’s Fair and Victorian Chicago
19th-Century Chicago remains one of the most innovative and influential cultural scenes in modern history. But though Chicagoans of the 1800s looked to the future, they were yet tethered to the long-held beliefs of their collective past. Thus the modern city was inhabited by builders, doers and giants of commerce and industry—but also by ghosts, demons and all manner of supernatural terrors. Join Ursula Bielski, author of “Haunts of the White City” on a fascinating foray into Chicago’s supernatural century.
Ghosts of the Steel City
In 2014, the story of Gary's "Demon House" shocked the world, drawing millions into the terrifying tale of a contemporary exorcism. For many residents, however, ghosts are just part of the community. From the haunting of the Jackson Five to the ghost ship Flying Cloud, local legends abound. Ghostly echoes may linger from a fiery 1918 train wreck that claimed the lives of eighty-six circus performers. A young murderess, said to have drowned her children in the Little Calumet River, reportedly haunts the Cline Avenue freeway. And the spirit of Alice Gray, the most famous of myriad recluses, is said to remain in Duneland. Meet these and other eternal inhabitants of the ‘Steel City” with author Ursula Bielski, author of History Press’s Haunted Gary.
SEASONAL CHICAGO GHOSTS & HAUNTINGS
Guns & Roses: Chicago’s Ghostly Valentines
Valentine's Day means chocolates, flowers, diamonds, and...ghosts? In Chicago, February 14th conjures up much more than champagne spirits. In fact, the ghosts of love and crime populate some of the city's most infamous supernatural stories. From the ghost called Resurrection Mary (a dancing date gone very bad indeed), the phantoms of the ill-fated marriages of the "Sausage Vat Murderer" and H.H. Holmes’ The Devil in the White City, to the restless specters of Chicago gangland, such as John Dillinger, Bugs Moran, and the victims of Al Capone's well-known "St. Valentine’s Day Massacre". Historian, folklorist, and paranormal researcher Ursula Bielski (author of twelve books on America's haunted history) introduces you to the supernatural side of Valentine's Day, Chicago style!
Banshees, Bootleggers and Bugs Moran: Chicago’s Irish Ghosts and Hauntings
Wear the green and join us for an Irish odyssey through Chicago's haunted hauntings, where author and ghostlorist Ursula Bielski shares tales of the city’s phantom-infused heritage brew. From the haunted rectory of Bishop Muldoon to Francis Leavy’s “Hand of Death” . . . from the ghostly builders of the I&M Canal to the curse of Cap Streeter . . . from the night the Devil came to Bridgeport to the ruthless specters of the Northside Irish Mob . . . you’re sure to get in the spirit of the season with these chilling tales and more.
The Ghosts of Summer
Most don’t connect ghosts with summertime but rather with the dark days of the year, but in this presentation ghostlorist and author Ursula Bielski shares stories of the supernatural from Chicagoland’s beaches, lakes, amusement parks and campgrounds, proving that the dead sometimes love summer as much as the living. Unlock the mystery of the “Lake Michigan Triangle”—where boats and even planes have disappeared by the scores, visit the “Magic Hedge” at Montrose Point in search of the ghost of a drowned soldier, hike to a haunted canyon at Starved Rock State Park, dance with ghosts at Navy Pier’s Grand Ballroom, and travel to the beaches of Duneland in search of “Diana of the Dunes.” All these stories and more will have you looking over your shoulder on your future warm weather excursions!
The Ghosts of Chicago’s Christmas Past
Ghosts stories at Christmas have been a tradition in Western culture since the time of Dickens, and in Chicago this tradition is strong indeed. Join historian and ghostlorist Ursula Bielski, author of twelve books on supernatural folklore, for chilling tales of the ghosts of Chicago’s Christmases past. We’ll look at the paranormal happenings around the Iroquois Theater Fire and the Our Lady of the Angels tragedy, the Christmastime ties of Resurrection Mary, the vanishing of the Christmas Tree Ship and more.