With a light drizzle and low fog outside, 107 people brought their curiosity and skepticism to The Nutmeg Restaurant in East Windsor on Jan. 24 for a ghostly good time.

The sell-out crowd came to listen to members of the New England Associated Paranormal Research and Investigation in a program titled “Local Haunts.” The evening included discussions on The Watson House and Union District School in South Windsor, an electronic voice phenomena session, a tour of some of the hot spots at the Nutmeg in East Windsor (the restaurant is said to have three spirits there) and even a chance to sit down with a psychic medium for the possibility of a reading.

The “Local Haunts” event was organized to help raise money to reach the goal of renovating the Union District School, which the South Windsor Historical Society purchased from the town for $1 in 2007.

“This program really came about because we allowed NEAPRI into Union District School,” said Brian Rivard, the historical society president, who called the restoration of the school “a monumental task.” “Events like this will help us,” he added.

NEAPRI has investigated Union District School on several occasions; most recently in October 2009. The group says investigations have found some EVPs (the voices of children during one visit), which, along with EVPs from The Watson House, a bed and breakfast in South Windsor, were part of the program on Jan. 24.

Before going into breakout groups, NEAPRI discussed how they go about conducting investigations, noting that they conduct hypothesis-based experimentation , using scientific instruments . The group’s intent is to research and investigate unexplained phenomena throughout New England, purely to gain knowledge and understanding.

The 107 people then split into smaller groups and took part in one of several breakout sessions, including a tour of The Nutmeg Restaurant, one of the three locations visited by child psychics from the A&E show “Psychic Kids,” set to air on Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. The other locations were The Watson House and Union District School).

The first stop for the tour was the restaurant’s basement. “We’ve named the ghost ‘Jack,’” said Rosemarie Murray , Nutmeg’s manager. “I never saw him, but I felt him. He stopped me from falling down a stair. He reached out and stopped me from falling.”

Waitress Connie, however, says she has seen “Jack,” and shared her experience.

“It was a Sunday morning and I was working brunch,” she said. She had gone down to the basement when something caught her eye. “It was an older gentleman – I wasn’t afraid of it.” She described him as looking somewhat transparent and wearing a tan vest and a tan hat.

Coming in to investigate, Wayne Collins , the technical manager and data analyst for NEAPRI, said that he would check the electrical boxes, wires, etc., for high electromagnetic fields. People don’t normally feel a reading at .3 miligauss (a magnetic field measurement) or lower. Checking the basement, Collins found an overhead florescent light to have a very high reading – 78 miligauss next to the light and down to 4.6-5 .1 just below the light. Those high readings could be causing the uneasy feelings people get in the basement, he noted.

NEAPRI’s case manager and public relations point person Kellie Fitzgerald told a few anecdotal stories of her experiences with spirits, including her former apartment in Rockville, where she saw at least five spirits. A medium who visited the apartment confirmed each.

“I can see color, I can see everything,” Fitzgerald said. “It becomes interesting when you try to figure out who is real and who isn’t .”

Psychic/medium Raven Starr walked through the Nutmeg as the event concluded and made contact with “Jack.” He asked her why everyone called him “Jack” – his real name, he revealed, was Sylvester.

“Call him ‘Sly,’” Starr said.

Enfield resident Kim Courville, who noted she’s always been interested in the paranormal, thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“It was informative,” she said. “And finding out a girlfriend from school sees spirits – it was surprising because she never said anything,” Courville added, referring to Fitzgerald and their high school days.

If you missed the event on Jan. 24, there will be another on Feb. 28, at 6 p. m. at The Nutmeg. The cost is $30 for historical society members; $35 for nonmembers . It includes a buffet dinner, and reservations are required. RSVP before Feb. 13. For further info or reservations , contact Brandy Feldmeier at 860-331-9892 or e-mail brandy@thewatsonhouse .com. More information can also be obtained at http:// www.southwindsorhistory .org/