Evan – Page 2 – Salem Happenings

Haunted Happenings: The Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre

One of my favorite places to go in Salem, especially during the Halloween season, is the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre. This theatre, which was formerly known as the Griffin Theatre during the off season and the Witch Cottage during Haunted Happenings, not only features a number of comedy acts, children’s programs, plays, and other performances during the year but also features some of the most impressive Halloween fare that you will find anywhere. In fact, the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre’s main attraction during the month of the October, the Witchcraft & Ghost Experience, is a theatrical performance that will dazzle you with special effects and possibly scare the ever living daylights out of you as you learn about the Salem Witch Trials and the legends that have existed in the Salem area for quite some time. Best of all, the Witchcraft & Ghost Experience is only one of the amazing pieces of entertainment that the theatre has to offer, and you may be able to enjoy one of the theatre’s local walking tours, ale tastings, magic shows, trolley tours, or their latest attraction, the Lost Museum as well. For more information on everything that the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre has to offer and/or to purchase tickets for a specific event, please visit the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre website.

Please Note: One of the scariest things about the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre can be the lines on a Saturday. However, you can completely eliminate the unpleasantness of waiting in line to purchase tickets by purchasing your tickets online. In fact, if you would like to avoid lines all together, you can purchase a VIP Pass online that will let you avoid the ticket purchasing line, skip the line to get in, receive a Gallows Hill T-shirt, and get a free drink. If the VIP Pass is a little out of your price range though, you can always head to the theatre on a weekday when the crowds are much less frightening.

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The Salem Open Market 2016

Did you miss the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair in Salem last week? Are you looking for another way to mix your love of Halloween with your love of shopping? Well, if you did miss the Biz Baz (A.K.A. the Bizarre Bazaar) and you’re looking for a place where you can find the ambience of the season and check out a whole bunch of cool stuff, there’s nothing to fear. Salem has you covered. In fact, the Salem Open Market will open for business on Essex Street and Derby Square this weekend. This street fair, which will be open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. until Halloween, will feature dozens and dozens of artists, artisans, crafters, designers, and other vendors who will be happy to show you everything from artwork to zombie-themed t-shirts (and all of the items in between.) Best of all, if you’re not really into shopping but you have a spouse or child who is, you can always bring them to the Open Market and then check out all of the tours and events that are happening throughout Salem. For more information on the Salem Open Market, please visit the New England Open Markets website.

Photo credit: HBarrison via Visual hunt / CC BY-SA

Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair 2016

It’s almost that time of year again. One of my favorite times of year (and no, it’s not Christmas.) It’s Halloween, and if you’re looking for a way to get into the spirit of the season, there’s no better place than the Witch City. In fact, it just so happens that the annual Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair is scheduled to take place in Salem this Saturday and Sunday (October 8th and 9th, 2016) from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. each day. This fair, which was originally known as the Bizarre Bazaar (and is still known as such by many of the locals), will give you the opportunity to peruse the wares of over 70 vendors selling art, crafts, jewelry, and a whole lot more. Best of all, if you’re accompanied by someone who isn’t really into shopping (a child or spouse perhaps), there’s no need to worry because there are always a number of street musicians and other performers who are certain to keep your friends and family entertained. For more information on the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair, which is free (until you decide to buy everything in sight) and open to everyone, please visit the Salem Chamber of Commerce website or the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair Facebook page.

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Topsfield Fair 2016: The Country’s Oldest Agricultural Fair

Chances are, your children already know that the cow goes “moo” and the pig goes “oink”. In fact, there’s a pretty good chance that they may even know that the lamb goes “baa.” But, if your kids would like to do some empirical research and determine for themselves exactly what sounds a cow, pig, sheep, and pretty much every other farm animal makes, all you need to do is head to Topsfield over the next week or so. This is because Topsfield Fair, the country’s oldest agricultural fair, runs from today (September 30, 2016) until Columbus Day (October 10, 2016).

This fair will give you and your kids the chance to see animals, artwork, crafts, educational exhibits, flowers, a different group of special performers each day (including the Axe Women Loggers of Maine, monster trucks, Mounties, and musicians), and a whole lot more than I could possibly list here. Best of all, there will be a wide assortment of concession stands and vendors selling everything from books to tractors and every food item imaginable, including apple pie, Chinese food, cinnamon rolls, corn dogs, fried Twinkies, sandwiches, steak, and pretty much everything else. For more information on Topsfield Fair and/or to order tickets for the fair, please visit the Topsfield Fair website.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Boston Common

Star Wars fans of the Boston area rejoice! If you’ve been dying to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the big screen again or you missed it when it was on the big screen the first time around, you’re going to love this one. Mayor Martin J. Walsh, in partnership with the Skating Club of Boston, is holding the last of his 2016 series of movie nights at the Boston Common Frog Pond from approximately 7:00 P.M. to approximately 10:30 P.M. tonight (Friday, September 23, 2016).

This event, which is sponsored by Northeastern University and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department as part of their ParkARTS program, will let you see Star Wars: The Force Awakens in its entirety while you devour all of the free popcorn (courtesy of AMC Loews Theatres) that you can get your hands on. The movie itself will begin at dusk, but you may want to get there a little early to find a good spot to sit and make sure that you don’t miss the beginning of the film. For more information on the Boston Common Movie Nights’ presentation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which is completely free and open to the public, please visit the Boston Common Movie Nights’ Facebook Event page or the Boston Parks and Recreation Department Facebook page.

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Mix 104.1’s MixFest 2016

There are very few things in life that are certain, but unless it rains tomorrow (Saturday, September 17, 2016), there is one thing that is pretty much guaranteed. Music fans in the New England area will descend upon the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston like a tidal wave. In fact, if you’re a big fan of music festivals looking for your latest festival fix, you may want to join the wave of descending fans yourself because one of the best free music festivals around will be taking place at the Hatch Shell this weekend.

I am, of course, talking about Mix 104.1’s annual MixFest, which will take place on the Esplanade from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. tomorrow. This festival will feature several well-known artists including Ingrid Michaelson, Shaggy, and OneRepublic. It will also feature the winner of Mix 104.1’s local “15 Seconds of Fame” competition, Tyler & Ryan. The music for the event will actually begin somewhere in between 2:00 and 2:30, but you should definitely try to get to the Esplanade as early as possible because the gates open at 11:00 A.M. and there is only a limited amount of space available. For more information on the event, including what you can and cannot bring into the festival, please visit Mix 104.1’s MixFest page.

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The Red Sox Showcase Powered by T-Mobile

Have you ever wanted to see what it might be like to play for the Boston Red Sox? Have you always wanted to experience firsthand what it would be like to practice like a Major League Baseball player or what it would be like to steal second base? Has the overwhelming urge to take a selfie of yourself standing in front of the Green Monster been more than you can bear as of late? Well, if the answer to some or all of these questions is yes, it just may be your lucky day. This is because the Red Sox Showcase, which is sponsored by T-mobile, is hitting the road this weekend and will be appearing at the Lawn on D in South Boston from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. today (Friday, September 9, 2016), at Baxter Riverfront Park in Somerville from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, September 10, 2016), and at a number of other locations throughout the area until October 15, 2016.

The main attraction of the Red Sox Showcase is a 15-foot mobile truck that is designed to look like the Green Monster. However, this truck is no ordinary vehicle, as the truck actually has panels that will move to form a replica of the Green Monster so that you can get that selfie that you’ve always wanted. The truck also has a batting cage, a pitching accuracy station that will let you demonstrate that you really are ready for the majors, a station that will let you experience firsthand just how hard it can be to steal second base, and a virtual reality station that will let you see what it would be like to stand on the field of Fenway Park during a baseball game. Best of all, the event is completely free and open to all ages, so you can definitely bring the kids. For more information on the Red Show Showcase Powered by T-Mobile, including a list of all of the locations that the Showcase will appear, please visit the Fans page of the Official Boston Red Sox website.

Photo credit: Keith Allison via VisualHunt / CC BY-SA

The 35th Anniversary of King Richard’s Faire

If you read my post a couple of weeks ago about the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival, you probably already know that King Richard’s Faire is right around the corner. In fact, if you’re a renaissance fan who’s been counting down the days to one of the largest and longest-running renaissance festivals in the area, you’ll be happy to know that the wait is finally over. This is because King Richard’s faire will open its gates for the 35th time tomorrow (Saturday, September 3, 2016) at approximately 10:30 A.M. This year’s Faire will feature some new acts plus all of the tried and true entertainment of years past, including acrobats, comedy acts, fire eaters, games, jugglers, jousting, magicians, minstrels, rides, tigers and more 16th-century style entertainment than you can shake a sword at. And, speaking of swords, the Faire will also feature a huge assortment of vendors that will allow you to purchase armor, weapons, and everything in between. Best of all, there are a number of coupons and discounts available for the Faire, including a Groupon that will allow you to save over 30% on admission for a group of two or four. For more information on King Richard’s Faire, which runs from September 3, 2016 to October 23, 2016, please visit the King Richard’s Faire website.

Photo credit: Wolfrage via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

Cirque du Soleil: Ovo

“Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.” – Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was fascinated by nature, and many of his works focused on the wonders of the wilderness and the need for a balance between civilization and the wild. As a result, Thoreau was always attempting to look at the world around him (both the natural world and the civilized world) in a very different way from the rest of society. In fact, if you share Thoreau’s passion for the natural world and the balance between humans and the wild, you may be looking for a way to enjoy the world from a new perspective yourself. Fortunately, if you have always wanted to see what the world might look like if you were an insect, there is a show in Manchester, NH that may be exactly what you’re looking for.

This is because Cirque du Soleil’s touring production Ovo, which will end its run in the Northeast this weekend at the Verizon Wireless Arena, gives new meaning to the idea of a “flea” circus. This show features an incredible cast of talented performers balancing, bouncing, crawling, dancing, jumping, juggling, and flying across the stage in a series of acts with an insect theme. However, the show’s focus is not actually on the insects themselves but is instead on the way they move. This means that Ovo will not only give you the opportunity to see what the world might look like to an ant, a flea, or a spider but will also allow you to witness a dazzling display of all of the incredible ways that humans and other creatures move. For more information on Ovo and/or to order tickets for the show, please visit the Cirque du Soleil website.

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The Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival

King Richard’s Faire will open its doors to all of the renaissance fair fans out there in just a couple of weeks, but if you just can’t wait to grab your medieval finery or dress up as your favorite Game of Thrones character, fear not! It just so happens that the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival is scheduled to take place this Saturday and Sunday (August 20th and 21st, 2016) from 10:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. in Charlton, MA. This festival, which is definitely smaller than King Richard’s Faire (but also costs less than half the price), will feature comedy acts, costumes, dance performances, musical performances, historical weapon demonstrations (swords, guns, and cannons), stories, a bunch of merchants selling a wide variety of unusual items, and a whole lot more. Best of all, there’s currently a Groupon available that will let you purchase two tickets to the festival for $19, which is pretty hard to beat. For more information on the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival, which typically costs $15 for anyone over the age of 14 and $10 for children ages 6 to 14 (children under 6 are free), please visit the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival website.

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