A Kelley House Museum Fundraiser
MURDER, SHE WROTE FESTIVAL, 2026
Friday, May 1st – Sunday, May 3rd, 2026
Festival Pass (all inclusive): Members $200, General Public $250
Tickets available in September. They are SOLD OUT for the 2026 festival.
Join the Kelley House Museum as we celebrate Murder, She Wrote, one of the most popular shows in television history! We’ve expanded to include a full day of programming on Friday and Saturday, with plenty of new activities. Get ready to fall in love with Mendocino’s Cabot Cove! What’s included in the festival pass (times and venues subject to change):
New – Jessica Behind Bars.
Thursday–Sunday, April 30th–May 3rd, during open hours
Location: Mendocino Historic District
Stop by the bars in Mendocino any time they are open and try the specialty cocktail each one crafted in honor of Jessica Fletcher.
Check–in & Murder, She Shopped.
Friday & Saturday, May 1st & 2nd, 10am–4pm
Location: Preston Hall, Mendocino
Check in and pick up your welcome packet Friday morning. Shop for Murder, She Wrote souvenirs from vendors in this market of all things Murder! Bid on dozens of silent auction items only true “Fangelas” will appreciate!
Scavenger, She Hunted.
Friday–Sunday, May 1st–May 3rd, 11am–4pm
Location: Mendocino Historic District
Visit local shops in search of murder weapons. Collect them all, and enjoy shopping during this self–guided scavenger hunt. Turn your completed survey into the Kelley House Museum to collect your prize.
New – Murder, She Talked.
Friday, May 1st, 11am–4pm, (Various sessions)
Location: Crown Hall (aka Cabot Cove Library) and St. Anthony’s Hall (aka Cabot Cove Mortuary), Mendocino
A host of Murder, She Wrote experts, authors, and fans will be speaking at various times throughout the day. Speaker list will be updated regularly and currently includes: Lily Hirsch, Mark Aldridge, and Tim Benzie.
Trivia, She Slayed.
Friday, May 1st (Two sessions, yours will be assigned)
Location: Crown Hall and St. Anthony’s Hall, Mendocino
Team up with your fellow fans to show off your Murder, She Wrote trivia prowess. Enjoy snacks, beer, wine, and soda as you compete for the grand prize.
New Episode! “Solve–Along–A–Murder–She–Wrote” Interactive Screening with Tim Benzie.
(Two screenings, yours will be assigned)
Location: Crown Hall (aka Cabot Cove Library), Mendocino
Friday, May 1st, 8pm–10pm
Saturday, May 2nd, 4pm–6pm
Special guest host Tim Benzie brings his hilariously entertaining hit show all the way from England with a different episode from last year! Audience members solve the crime before Jessica in one of the episodes filmed in Mendocino.
Walking Tours of Filming Locations.
Location: Kelley House Museum (aka Cabot Cove Historical Society), Mendocino
Saturday & Sunday, May 2nd & May 3rd, 10am–Noon
Kelley House tour guides take you to a dozen filming locations, regaling you with anecdotes and history along the way. Tour lasts 1.5 hours.
Autographs, She Signed.
Location: Crown Hall (aka Cabot Cove Library)
Saturday, May 2nd, 1pm–2:30pm
Meet Jessica’s nephew Grady and his wife, Donna, (played by real life couple Michael Horton and Debbie Zipp). Take pics and get their autographs on photo stills for sale.
New – Jessica Jog.
Location: Blair House Inn (aka Jessica’s House)
Saturday, May 2nd. 2:30pm–3:00pm
Don your grey tracksuit and meet Solve–Along star Tim Benzie outside the Blair House Inn and accompany him on a short jog through town to the Kelley House Museum.
New – Cabot Cove Disco & Costume Contest.
Location: Crown Hall (aka Cabot Cove Library)
Saturday, May 2nd, 8pm–10pm
Dance to iconic tunes from the 80s, spun by DJ Paul Joseph at the Cabot Cove Disco. Dress up in your best Jessica Fletcher attire and compete for prizes in categories like “Best Jessed.” Costumes are not required to party! No host bar.
Murder and Mimosas.
Location: Blair House Inn (aka Jessica’s House), Mendocino
Sunday, May 3rd , Time TBD
Drop in anytime and enjoy a killer mimosa at the Inn used for exterior shots of Jessica Fletcher’s home. Enjoy delicious local goodies and peruse original scripts from the TV show. Snap a festival pic at the photo booth using our costumes and props.
Further Information
The Festival is an unofficial event and is not associated with NBCUniversal.
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This event is an Unofficial event and is not associated with NBCUniversal.
