We need a “hand” solving this year’s Muncie Mystery! Grab your mystery-loving friends and family members and head downtown during September’s First Thursday to question suspects, look for clues and – hopefully – solve the case!

Muncie Mystery is hosted by Ball State University’s Office of Community Engagement, Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Ivy Tech Community College, and Muncie Civic Theatre.

“I love the collaboration Muncie Mystery provides!” said Cheryl Crowder of Muncie Downtown Development Partnership. “[There are] so many great organizations working together to produce something fun for the community!

Here’s what we know so far, Sleuths: The Addams Family’s beloved Helping Hand, Thing, is missing! The butler, Lurch, suspects that someone in the family knows where Thing is because there was evidence from each of them left in the same room where his empty box was found, the library of Addams Manor.

The suspects are Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday and Pugsley, Uncle Fester, and Grandma. The pieces of evidence are a half-smoked cigar, pruning shears, a doll, a lightbulb, and a sachet of stinging nettles.

Pick up your Crime Tracker form and map at Canan Commons beginning at 5:30 p.m., then visit participating downtown businesses to hear alibis from the suspects and look over the evidence. Participating businesses include The Clubhouse, The Jaunty Lady, The Bloom Downtown, Ivy Rose Boutique, Perfect Fit Plus, Made in Muncie, Ink Drinkers Anonymous Bookstore, Ah Yeah Comics, Muncie Visitor’s Bureau, and Carrie Wright Silk.

Turn in your guesses at Canan Commons by 7:30 p.m. because the big reveal is set for 8 p.m. on the Canan Commons stage. And while you wait for the big reveal, choreographers from Muncie Civic Theatre will teach you how to do the popular “Wednesday Dance.”

The rain location for the reveal will be Ivy Tech’s Fisher Building, 345 S. High St.

Gumshoes with correct guesses will be entered into a drawing for great downtown prizes! You must be present at reveal to win.

“I love that this event brings people together from all over the Muncie community to explore their investigative side,” said Alisa Wells, Executive Director of Community Engagement at Ivy Tech Community College.

This is the fourth Muncie Mystery, which usually happens in the Spring.

“Moving Muncie Mystery to the First Thursday in September escalates that month’s offerings and should prove to be much nicer weather than we have had in the Spring,” Crowder said.

And it also proved to be a perfectly spooky and kooky move as Muncie Civic Theatre prepares for its October production of “The Addams Family” musical.

“I am honored to be directing Addams Family at Muncie Civic Theatre and thrilled at the opportunity to connect our work to the community through Muncie Mystery,” said Bianca Sulanke, a project assistant in the Office of Community Engagement. “This little taste of the shenanigans that America’s favorite spooky family will be getting up to might be our best Muncie Mystery event yet!”

For more about the event, including a special announcement from Mayor Dan Ridenour, go to www.downtownmuncie.org