Sippin’ In A Cemetery · Forgotten Ground — Equinox Edition · 9.22.26
Sippin’ In A Cemetery · Forgotten Ground — Equinox Edition · 9.22.26
Tuesday, September 22 • 6:05–8:05 PM • Kent Island
21+ • Private location • Exact location revealed after purchase
Only 12 living guests are admitted to Forgotten Ground on the final evening of summer.
We begin in summer. Autumn begins at 8:05 PM. We end the moment fall arrives.
For two hours, J. Coursey Willis leads 12 people through a historic Kent Island cemetery, telling the stories of the people, families, land, and history beneath their feet.
Some are old island history. Some are personal. Some are dark.
Walker — $70 · Complete two-hour walk · no pours included
Ritual Pour — $90 · Walk + two J. Coursey Willis private-label wine pours
Story Keeper — $115/$125 · Walk + two pours + signed bottle to take home
12 in stock
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Exact location sent after purchase • 21+ • Only 12 guests • A portion supports Historic Kent Island, Inc.
What Happens
What Happens
Arrive 15 minutes early for check-in.
We gather with a welcome and a first pour for guests who selected a pour tier. BYOB guests are welcome to raise their own glass.
Then we begin moving slowly through the ground.
Along the way, you'll hear the stories tied to this place: the people buried here, the symbols carved into their stones, the land around them, and the island that grew over their memory.
Some stories come from deeds, newspapers, court records, and archaeology. Others were carried through generations of Kent Island families.
Most have never been spoken outside a kitchen table or front porch.
We end where we began, with a final toast to the dead and the ground beneath us.
It is not about the alcohol.
It is about the ritual.
Twelve living guests. A thirteenth presence always joins us.
Ticket Tiers
Ticket Tiers
Walker — $70
The complete two-hour storytelling walk. No pours included. BYOB is welcome.
Ritual Pour — $90
The walk plus two pours of J. Coursey Willis private-label wines, produced with Chesapeake Manor Vineyard from Kent Island-grown grapes.
Story Keeper: Harvest Barbera Rosé — $115
The walk, two pours, and a signed bottle of J. Coursey Willis Harvest Barbera Rosé.
Story Keeper: Harbinger Chambourcin — $125
The walk, two pours, and a signed bottle of J. Coursey Willis Harbinger Chambourcin.
Story Keeper bottles are received at the gathering. They are not shipped.
What to Bring
What to Bring
Bring a valid photo ID and your downloaded ticket.
Wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes made for uneven ground, roots, and wet grass.
Bring your own glass or mug if you plan to drink.
BYOB is welcome for this gathering.
Leave the chairs at home. We will be moving through the cemetery.
Come prepared to listen, walk carefully, and respect the ground.
Conditions
Conditions
After purchase, you will receive an order confirmation and a separate guest-information email with the exact location and final instructions.
Unsafe weather will move the gathering to an announced rain date.
Tickets are nonrefundable unless the gathering is canceled. No refunds will be issued for underage purchases.
This is an outdoor walking experience held on historic, uneven ground. By purchasing a ticket and attending, you accept the risks associated with the terrain and alcohol consumption and release J. Coursey Willis LLC and Historic Kent Island, Inc. from liability.
This is a cemetery. The dead deserve quiet.
Gritty. Reverent. Real.
