You can be a princess, or a monster, or a Teletubby if you want, and people don't think you're weird. People like to be scared, and they like to scare other people. Sharp got her start in the supernatural business in 1996, when she wrote a book called Haunted Newport , which described ghostly experiences in Newport. I thought, because of its atmosphere and colorful history, a book on haunted Newport would work especially well. For the Newport County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Haunted Newport 2000 is one of many ways to turn the city into a year-round destination instead of just a summer resort.
People are so jazzed about vampires and ghosts . . .
We're a colonial town, and we have the ambiance of places like the Common Burying Ground. Haunted Newport 2000, Farrington said, is all part of that strategy. So far, it seems to be working. Newport's hotel bookings, Farrington said, are up. And Rondina, who restricts his cemetery tours to 50 people each, said he's had to turn people away this year.