Between the campy wax museums and the over-hyped psychic festivals, it's easy to paint Salem as nothing more than a cheesy weekend outing barely worth the $7.50 it costs to get there by train.
But during the weeks leading up to Halloween, this infamous town transforms from a two-bit amusement park to haunted kingdom. Let's face it: when it comes to Halloween, the traditional witchery of New England's most infamous town can't be matched.
Salem's "Haunted Happenings" have been taking place since the beginning of October, but they rise to a climax this weekend. The entire town will be filled with ghastly ghosts and adventurous spirits, all of whom are eager to explore the booths and vendors that blanket the city and the various attractions that have opened their gates to mortals and the undead alike.
Salem itself is the perfect stage for an otherworldly adventure. Whether you're hunting for the names of the Witch Trial victims in the many graveyards spotting the town, taking in the free music and street performances put on all weekend long, or arguing with green-faced witch enthusiasts in the middle of the city-wide street faire, there's no other Halloween experience quite like it.
Any visitors to Salem will clearly want to take advantage of the city's rich history, which becomes especially relevant during Halloween weekend. Salem is infamous for its witch hunts of 1692, which resulted in the execution of twenty innocent men and women.
Halloween revelers can take part in the 1692 trial of one of the accused at the Witch Dungeon Museum. As they step into the role of one of the Salem townsfolk and listen to the trial, performed according to the script recorded from the actual proceedings, visitors can then decide the guilt or innocence of Elizabeth Proctor. Shows occur all day long during the weekend; call 978-741-3570 for tickets or more information.
"Cry Innocent," another witch trial reenactment, lets visitors observe the proceedings surrounding the accusation of Bridget Bishop. Audience members can listen to the evidence and cross-examine witnesses before voting as to whether the goodwife was innocent or guilty of the crimes laid against her. Performances occur all weekend long in front of the Old Town Hall at Derby Square.
Historic monologues are also being performed all weekend long at selected locations throughout the town as part of the "Haunted City" celebration. The performances run continuously at the Old Salem Jail, the First Church, and the Old Town Hall all night long. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time by
calling 979-744-8815.
One highlight of the haunted weekend is certain to be the Scary Sea Stories. Pirates and landlubbers alike will be thrilled by the ghost stories told aboard the haunted schooner "Friendship," the eighteenth-century sailing vessel docked at Central Wharf.
Starting at 5:30 p.m. every evening this weekend, the Salem Theater Company will be acting out various skits on board the ship. Tickets are $10, and interested parties can call 978-790-8546 for more information.
It wouldn't be Halloween in Salem without the opportunity to consort with the Children of the Night in high fashion, preferably while dressed like a Goth out for a night on the (preferably haunted) grounds.
Of course, because it's Salem, each nominal group that makes up the Children of the Night is hosting its own individual ball. In a macabre mockery of a cultural faire, the vampires, witches, and psychics of Salem are all hosting their own events.
But considering the price tag of all three (The Vampires and Victims Ball is $95; the Psychic's S?©ance is $100, and the more extravagant Official Salem Witches' Ball is a spellbinding $175), unless one happens to be buried alongside a long-lost pirate treasure, even the most dedicated crypt-keeper might be better off taking in the holiday atmosphere elsewhere - like at the "Brew Moon Night" at the haunted Hawthorne Hotel, which offers beer tasting for a $10 cover charge (978-744-4080).
For those purveyors of the afterlife who fancy themselves undead artistes, the Terror Fantasy Art Show represents a chance to get in touch with the painter within. Located at The Fool's Mansion (127 Essex St.), this art show displays local artists' macabre attempts to capture the meaning of Halloween. Ghouls, ghosts, and goblins may abound, but the more morbid works might very well leave you with chills.
It's also possible to take in the horrors of the haunted town on your own two feet, thanks to the many Halloween-themed tour groups scheduled to depart this weekend. A myriad of creatively themed tours (all of which seem to somehow incorporate "ghosts" or "witches" into their title) leave from various points around the city throughout the evening.
The Vampire and Ghost Hunt Tour (departs from The Spellbound Museum; 978-745-0138), the Witch Trial Trail and Terror Tour (Derby Square; 978-745-6314), and the Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour (8 Central Street; 978-745-0666) all offer visitors the opportunity to see the more haunted corners of the town with their own two frantically squeezed shut eyes.
Even the House of the Seven Gables, immortalized forever in Nathaniel Hawthorne's book of the same title, is getting in on the Halloween spirit. The "Spirits of the Gable" tour gives visitors the opportunity to explore the many ghosts that are said to haunt the historic building, and "The Legacy of the Hanging Judge" explores the Salem Witchcraft Trials of 1692.
Reservations are recommended for both Seven Gables tours during Halloween weekend and can be made by calling 978-744-0991. During peak hours, the tours leave every five to ten minutes.
The Halloween celebrations will culminate with the 25th Annual Closing Night Ceremonies on Oct. 31, but the spirit of Salem will live on long after that. If you love All Hallow's Eve and fancy a night out on the town alongside witches and ghouls, this may well be the Halloween adventure for you.
