In the quiet seaside village of Langley, it’s business as usual during the chilly winter months—which, admittedly, isn’t much. Many of the town’s resident snowbirds have already flown south to their warmer homes away from home.

Langley is a charming hub of quirky artists, retirees-turned-musicians, and purveyors of locally crafted tchotchkes. And with its surrounding farmland and vineyards, it’s no surprise the locals have a particular fondness for the fruits of the vine.

But here’s the thing: even a town steeped in whimsical lore can’t escape the doldrums of winter.

That is, until a few fabled locals concocted an idea for an off-season attraction that would grow into the largest event of its kind: Langley’s Mystery Weekend.

To make this weekend-long game of Clue come to fruition, Loretta Martin, co-writer of Mystery Weekend, curates a theme built on past mysteries. With each darkly comedic murder connected to one another, Mystery Weekend: A Murder in a Small Town is the 40th murder that has befallen our town. To solve this tale, Langley businesses, a talented cast of actors, and imaginative writers weave an intricate tale riddled with intrigue and puzzling details.

Picture it: the town’s characters become suspects, and the mystery unfolds with breaking news updates in a special insert of the real Whidbey Weekly newspaper, aptly named The Langley Gazette, detailing the latest shocking developments.

As I write this on the Friday night before Mystery Weekend begins, I’m back in my hometown of Langley, preparing for my first-ever sleuthing assignment. That’s right—I’ll be stepping into the role of detective, following in the footsteps of my father, a retired private investigator and one of Langley’s many retiree-musicians. Big shoes to fill!

This year’s mystery kicks off with the shocking death of former Langley Mayor C.Z. Cash, whose bloody corpse is discovered near City Hall. The town is immediately thrust into a frantic Scooby Doo-esque hunt to unmask the killer before the grand arrest scheduled for 5 p.m. Sunday on the Whidbey Children’s Theater stage.

To get up to speed, I had to brush up on years of past mysteries and their colorful suspects—but that’s a story for another time.

My detective partner and I arrived Saturday morning, jazzed up and ready to investigate. The line at the Chamber of Commerce stretched longer than the entire series of Lost, as eager participants exchanged their tickets for Langley maps and the roster of mugshots. With over 40 clues scattered across town, the search was on! We dove straight into the action, hunting for clues in a frenzy reminiscent of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

Clues were posted up and down First and Second Street, and characters roamed the streets, sharing juicy tidbits and rumors with anyone brave enough to interrogate them. We even dialed in to a hidden clue inside a Whidbey Telecom phone booth.

We were a regular couple of gumshoes that day. Questioning suspects, analyzing the crime scene, and piecing together the puzzle. By Saturday night, we had narrowed down our list of suspects and were zeroing in on the killer.

Sunday morning brought the final round of suspect interviews to confirm our theory. With everything in place, we waited in anticipation for the big reveal—ready to see if our hard work had paid off!

Whether you guessed the right suspect or not, almost everyone got a piece of the pie… Whidbey Pie, that is! Sunday’s arrest followed a round of raffle drawings from local businesses rounding off the day with a celebration to all who were involved: cast, volunteers, and all the detectives from near and far.

This year marks the 40th anniversary and with it comes a bittersweet announcement: co-writer Loretta Martin has decided to retire after this production.

“I quite literally don’t know how we’ll do it next year without her! said Sarah Jean Muncey, Treasurer of Langley’s Chamber of Commerce.

Her departure is felt deeply throughout Langley, as she has been an integral part of Mystery Weekend’s success. However, her legacy is in good hands, thanks to the talented team she has nurtured—ensuring the magic and mystery will continue to captivate audiences for years to come.

Ultimately, Mystery Weekend is a family-friendly celebration of community, creativity, and curiosity. This cherished winter weekend transforms Langley into a stage for intrigue, drawing people from all over the world to experience its timeless tales of local legends. As the longest-running event of its kind in the United States, it has become an emblem of Whidbey Island’s charm and ingenuity. If you’re new and have a small business, I urge you to get involved next year as either a sponsor or put yourself on the map with a clue!

Contact the Langley Chamber of Commerce to learn more.