Salem, MA – Page 4 – Salem Happenings

Friday Fun: The Salem Witch Trials

In a momentary fit of sanity, our elected officials in Washington decided that shutting down the Federal government and risking a historic default that would most certainly be followed by a historic economic collapse may have not been the best idea. As a result, the federal government is now open once more, all of the furloughed workers are back at work, and life is finally beginning to return to normal (at least until our elected officials decide to do it all over again.) However, with less than two weeks till Halloween, most people would rather focus on all of the spooky activities going on this weekend than what our leaders are planning to mess up next. Fortunately, if you are among the people who would really like to think about something else, there are a number of activities, especially in the Salem area, that will keep you busy this weekend.

First, if you have always wanted to learn more about the history of Salem and the witch trials, you may want to check out the Salem Witch Museum or the Witch House. The Salem Witch Museum, which is located in Washington Square across from Salem Common, is an auditorium-style museum that features a 30-minute presentation on the events that occurred during the witch trials and a 30-minute tour that explains how society’s perceptions of witches and witchcraft have changed over the years. This museum is a great way to get an overview of the events that happened in Salem during the Witch Trials and to learn a little more about the differences between real and imagined witches. The Witch House, on the other hand, is actually the original home of the judge that presided over the Salem Witch Trials, Judge Jonathan Corwin. This historic landmark will allow you to get a better idea of what life was like in 1692. For more information on these museums, please visit the Salem Witch Museum website or the Witch House website.

Secondly, if you’re already familiar with the history of the witch trials and/or you’ve seen these exhibits before, you may want to check out Cry Innocent. Cry Innocent is actually a reenactment of the trial of Bridget Bishop performed by Gordon College’s History Alive! This show, unlike some of the other attractions in Salem, will not only tell you about the witch trials but will actually show you what they were like. In fact, if you get to the show with your tickets in hand early enough, you will get to see an accused witch arrested in the street, participate in the trial, and ultimately help to decide the fate of the accused. For more information on History Alive’s Cry Innocent, please visit the Cry Innocent website.

Photo credit: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism / Foter / CC BY-ND

Friday Fun: A Local’s Guide to Salem

Last week, I talked about some of the ways that you could enjoy the Halloween season in Salem. In fact, I specifically discussed events that were relatively inexpensive (unless you bought your kids everything they wanted at the Bazaar) because there are a lot of people operating on an extremely tight budget at the moment. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s something that’s going to change anytime soon, as the government is still shutdown, a ludicrous number of employees are still out of work, and a debt crisis of epic proportions still looms on the horizon. However, even though money is still tight for a lot of people and there’s nothing that we can do about the staggering ineptitude of our so-called “leaders”, there are still a number of things that we can do to keep ourselves from focusing too much on the financial issues that we cannot change.

One of the ways that we can prevent ourselves from focusing too much on the problems that are beyond our control, and hopefully retain some of our sanity, is to focus on something else. What should you focus on, you might ask? Well, it is the Halloween season, so why not focus on all of the stuff going on in Salem, and if you’re thinking about making your first trip or another trip to the Witch City, here are some things about the city that you should keep in mind:

1. Parking is Never Easy (or Cheap.)

Salem is a tourist city, and the Halloween season is definitely the city’s biggest draw. As a result, finding a parking spot gets harder as it gets closer to Halloween, and the harder it is to find a spot, the more it costs. In fact, most of the parking that is available in the downtown area of Salem costs somewhere in the range of $20 to $25 during the month of October. However, you can avoid these parking issues all together or, at the very least, significantly reduce them by parking further away from the downtown area and walking, taking the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail train, or taking the Salem Ferry.

2. It’s Called the Witch City for a Reason (Two in Fact.)

Salem, MA is known as the Witch City for two distinct reasons. First, the City of Salem is one of the most famous (or depending on how you look at it, infamous) sites to actually try, convict, and execute people for the crime of witchcraft. In fact, 19 innocent people were hung and one person, Giles Corey, was actually pressed to death for their “supposed crimes” even though none of the people convicted were actually practicing witches or had actually done anything wrong. Secondly, in a rather amusing twist, the City of Salem now hosts one of the largest populations of actual witches in the world. These witches, which practice the Wiccan faith, are not like the witches you may have seen in The Wizard of Oz or on the TV show Bewitched, but are instead typical people with typical jobs trying to practice their religious beliefs in peace (well, as much peace as you can have in a tourist city focused on witches.) As a result, if you’re planning to come to the city in October, you should be prepared for a lot of witches, both real and imagined.

3. Expect the Unexpected

Salem is not your typical city, so it’s usually a good idea to expect the unexpected. In fact, on a normal weekend in October, you can expect to see the downtown area filled with vampires, monsters, witches (both real and imagined as stated above), living statues, people in colonial garb, and a whole lot more. The only thing to remember, however, is that if there is something that you want to see, you should check it out now. Things in Salem change pretty regularly, and there’s no guarantee that everything that you want to see will be there next year or even next week.

4. Not All Tours Are Created Equal

There are over half a dozen tours in downtown Salem alone, and each of these tours covers a different aspect of the city. As a result, even though some tours may have similar-sounding names, it is important to have an idea of what you want to know and what you want to see before you go looking for a tour. This means, for example, if you’re looking for information on the history of Salem, your best bet may be the Trolley Tour. If, on the other hand, you want to hear about some of the most frightening places in Salem, I highly recommend the Salem Night Tour.

5. Eat Like a Local

Finding something to eat in Salem is never a challenge but deciding what to eat is a whole another story. This is because Salem is filled with almost as many restaurants and food vendors as it is attractions, and you will be able to find American, Chinese, Greek, Indian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Polish, and Thai cuisine without leaving the Downtown area. However, if you’re looking for a good place to eat without emptying your wallet, you may want to steer away from some of the larger chain restaurants and head to the smaller family-operated restaurants where all the locals eat. For example, if you’re looking for some pizza or a sub, the Engine House on Lafayette Street right next to the Fire Station has some of the best pizza, subs, and wraps around. If you’re looking for some Mexican food, the Howling Wolf on Lafayette Street across from the Fire Station is one of the best (and cheapest) Mexican places you’re going to find. Other restaurants that are definitely worth checking out include:

Cafe Kushco (Frozen Yogurt, Sandwiches, and Wraps)Fresh Taste of Asia (Chinese and Japanese)AndThe Lobster Shanty (Pub Fareand Seafood)

Photo CreditsWitch House Photo Credit: openroads.com / Foter / CC BY
Witch Trial Memorial Photo Credit: Smart Destinations / Foter / CC BY-SA
Living Witch Statue Photo Credit: bunnygoth / Foter / CC BY-ND
Lobster Shanty Photo Credit: Mr. T in DC / Foter / CC BY-ND

Friday Fun: The Season of the Witch Has Begun

As we approach the end of the first week of October, many people are already in the process of planning out their Halloween costumes and looking for ways to partake in all of the merrymaking and treats that All Hallows’ Eve has to offer. Unfortunately, the celebrations that people typically associate with Halloween are now being overshadowed by the events that are dragging on in our nation’s capital. In fact, with the government shutdown, there are approximately 800,000 government employees wondering when they are going to see another paycheck and countless government contractors and other businesses that are trying to figure out what they’re going to do with their own employees if something doesn’t happen soon. As a result, there is a growing number of people who simply don’t have the funds to enjoy Halloween in the way that they typically would, and some of these people are already looking for a way to keep their kids happy this All Hallows’ Eve.

Fortunately, if you are one of the people looking for a way to keep your kids happy or just someone looking for a way to get your mind off of your politically-induced financial woes, there are a number of Halloween-themed activities that will allow you to get an early start on the festivities without breaking the bank.

First, if you’re a big fan of shopping or your friends and family members have a strange interest in shiny things, there’s no better way to start off the Halloween season then in the Witch City itself, Salem. This is because the Salem Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair, which is more commonly known as the Bizarre Bazaar, this weekend from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday (October 5, 2013) and from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday (October 6, 2013.) This street fair, located at the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall, features over 75 vendors selling everything from doll clothes and jewelry to books and souvenirs. However, it is important to remember that the Biz Baz isn’t your typical street fair, as there will not only be vendors but also music and street performers as well. For more information, please visit the Salem Chamber of Commerce website or call 978-774-0004.

Secondly, if you’re already in Salem for the Biz Baz and you’re looking for something to keep your kids entertained, you may want to take a quick walk around the corner to Salem Common. The Common has a bunch of activities for kids this weekend, including contests, food, games, inflatable slides, moon bounces, and even a movie on Saturday night. For more information on the events taking place on the Common this weekend and other events happening in Salem throughout the month of October, please visit the Haunted Happenings website.

Photo credit: Powerhouse Museum Collection / Foter

Friday Fun: Maritime Festivals and Movies

As the summer begins to wind down, it is usually a lot harder to find interesting things to do with your family. In fact, if you’ve been looking for something to do this weekend, you may have already realized that unless you consider barhopping to be a family activity, finding something that kids and parents alike will enjoy is quite a challenge. Fortunately, there are a couple of events going on in the Boston area and north of Boston this weekend that almost everyone will enjoy.

First, if you’re a big fan of antique boats or you simply like the sea, there is a festival in Salem, MA that you won’t want to miss. This festival, which is known as the Antique & Classic Boat Festival, features artists, a boat parade, a craft fair, music, photographers, over 40 vintage boats, and more maritime stuff than you can shake a stick at (or perhaps an oar.) Best of all, the Festival is a great way to entertain the family without breaking the bank as it is only $5 for adults and children under 12 are free. For more information, please visit the By The Sea website.

Secondly, if your family is more interested in movies than they are in maritime history, the HatchShell in Boston may have the solution. Tonight, August 23, 2013, the HatchShell will be showing Oz The Great and Powerful as part of their “Free Flicks” summer series. The movie, which is absolutely free, will begin at sunset and will end approximately 2 hours later (the total run time is 130 minutes.) For more information on the event itself, please visit the HatchShell website. For more information on the film, which tells the origin story of the wizard from the Wizard Of Oz, please visit the Oz the Great and Powerful website.

Friday Fun: Salem Heritage Days

There’s no question that Salem, Massachusetts is typically associated with witches as even the city’s police cars have the image of a witch emblazoned on them. In fact, the city’s police cars not only have the image of a witch, but also have the words “The Witch City” clearly printed below the word “Salem” in almost every logo. As you might guess, this fascination with the witch hysteria (or this hysteria about the hysteria if you will) has caused the month of October to become the city’s big draw because everyone wants to be in Salem for Halloween. However, even though the city is already preparing for the festivities that will occur in a couple of months, there is an event that started this past week and will continue into the weekend that is more aimed at the local crowd than the tourists that come for the witches. This event is Salem’s Heritage Days.

Salem’s Heritage Days is a week-long celebration of everything that Salem has to offer. The celebration, which began last weekend and runs until this Sunday, features an antique car show, a comedy show, a Jazz and Soul Festival, a Kid’s Night with rides and games, music, a street fair, a women’s 5k run that includes wine and chocolate for each of the runners afterwards, and a bunch of other events. Best of all, these events are just the events happening this weekend as part of the festival and most of the events are free. If you’re interested in finding out more about Salem’s Heritage Day celebration, you can find all of the information you need and more on the City of Salem website.

Friday Fun: Scavenger Hunts, Discounts, and Movies, Oh My!

Are you a big fan of the Wizard of Oz? Are you looking forward to the new Disney movie coming out next weekend, Oz the Great and Powerful? Well, if you are, you may want to head down to Salem, MA tonight because the Witch City is tipping its hat to the fine film that helped bring the idea of a “good witch” into the mainstream. This celebration, which is taking the place of the normal First Friday activities in Salem this month, will include an Oz the Great and Powerful scavenger hunt; dancing; a series of games and other activities to keep your kids busy; and a bunch of special offers, giveaways, and discounts at local restaurants and retailers. All of the fun is scheduled to begin around 5:00 p.m. and is expected to last until approximately 8:00 p.m. tonight, Friday, March 1st. However, the exact times for each of the activities in Salem tonight may vary, so it may be a good idea to check out the event’s website before you go.

If the Wizard of Oz is really not your favorite film or you’re nowhere even remotely close to Salem right now, you may want to check out some of the other films that are playing at your local movie theater this weekend. There are a number of strange, thrilling, and hopefully entertaining movies coming out today and tomorrow, including 21 and Over, Jack the Giant Slayer (which comes in a variety of flavors, including the standard 2D format, 3D format, and IMAX 3D format), The Last Exorcism: Part II, Stoker, and a number of other films.

Friday Fun: Downtown Salem in January

It’s Friday, there’s ten minutes left until the end of your shift, and you’ve somehow managed to get the whole weekend off. All of your work is already done, or at least you’ve done enough that you can pretend it’s done, and there’s nothing to do except sit and watch the seconds tick off the clock. The only question now is what are you going to do once you make your workplace escape? Well, if you’re looking for something to do, you’ve come to the right place. Every Friday, I’m going to talk about an activity, a board game, an event, a movie, or some other form of entertainment that you can check out to make your weekend a little more interesting.

With that being said, if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, you may want to check out downtown Salem, Ma. Now, if you’ve visited Salem, MA in the past, the very idea of visiting Salem in January may seem downright insane. This is because Salem is primarily known for its Halloween celebration and for the witch trials in which 20 innocent people were convicted and executed for witchcraft in 1692.

However, there’s more to Salem than witches and Halloween. In fact, most of the shops, many of the museums, and a few of the attractions that are overrun by tourists during the month of October are actually open year round, but they’re all pretty empty after November 1st. This means that if you want to check out these things, and you don’t mind losing some fingers to frostbite, January may be the time to do it. To further sweeten the deal, if you head to Salem this Friday or on the First Friday of any month, you’ll find that most of the shops have extended hours, so you can go downtown, eat, and check out all of the little shops right after work.