APRIL 30 IS WALPURGISNACHT: When Witches Dance, Bonfires Blaze and a Dead Nun is Revered
Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories
Darren Marlar
4.6 • 4.1K Ratings
🗓️ 30 April 2026
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
IN THIS EPISODE: “Walpurgis Night was when, according to the belief of millions of people, the devil was abroad—when the graves were opened and the dead came forth and walked. When all evil things of earth and air and water held revel.” – Bram Stoker, from “Dracula’s Guest”. Walpurgis Night is something most English-speaking listeners won’t know about – but it’s being celebrated at this precise moment. While others are currently celebrating “Halfway to Halloween” or “Half-o-ween” for short… in Germany, they’re celebrating a second Halloween which they call Walpurgisnacht – or “Walpurgis Night.” Plus, later in the show I’ll share a story that was intended specifically to be read on Walpurgis Night – it’s called “The Black Bargain” from PJ Hodge!
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate and Only Accurate For the Commercial Version)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:37.995 = Happy Walpurgisnacht, Everyone
00:32:55.468 = The Black Bargain (a Fictional Story To Be Told on Walpurgis Night) ***
00:48:10.168 = Show Close
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“Happy Walpurgisnacht, Everyone!” by Todd at GothicHorrorStories.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/a8svp23c
“The Black Bargain” by PJ Hodge, posted at FreakyFolkTales.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/j49bd4
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"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
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Originally aired: April 30, 2021
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/WalpurgisNight
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Boss, what's the most dreaded question that you can get when you tell people you host a podcast |
| 0:05.2 | called The Lapsed Fan? |
| 0:06.6 | Ugh, it's, what is it about? |
| 0:09.3 | And why is that, do you think? |
| 0:10.8 | Because to like pro wrestling is to lose the respect of others. |
| 0:16.1 | Now, what if we told you there's a podcast that explains exactly why that is, and why it's |
| 0:20.8 | kind of deserved. |
| 0:22.2 | For over a decade, we've taken fact-finding missions through the thicket of half-truths |
| 0:26.1 | that is wrestling history. We watch old matches, call out carnies, laugh at our own jokes, |
| 0:31.4 | and have so much fun doing it that some people actually can't handle it. |
| 0:35.4 | Think wrestling is an escape from real life? |
| 0:38.2 | Think again. |
| 0:39.3 | Same power games, same office politics, same people lying to your face. |
| 0:43.7 | Just with entrance music and absolutely no company health insurance under any circumstances. |
| 0:48.7 | All I offer is opportunity, not benefits. |
| 0:51.4 | As do we, Vince, the lapsed fan podcast. |
| 0:54.3 | Come for the wrestling history. Stay for the uncomfortable truth about why it used to be better |
| 0:58.4 | and why you still care. |
| 1:00.7 | Hey guys, it's Jake Shields, five-time world champion of MMA. |
| 1:04.5 | But I'm not just talking about fighting anymore. |
| 1:06.8 | So if you're tired of the same filtered BS on mainstream media, this is the podcast for you. |
| 1:11.9 | Every episode, I bring on wild range of guests from top fighters, combat sports legends, |
... |
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