Gallows Hill Theatre – 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.

Photo via VisualHunt

Beware! Halloween Fun Lurks Here!

With only two weeks left before Halloween,
Salem has again become a mob scene.
Yet, even though the witch city is certainly a fun place,
It is not the only city that can put a smile on your child’s face.
In fact, whether you’re a fan of Salem or Boston or anywhere else in this fine state,
You are certain to find an event that you and your kids think is great!

First, if you are an aspiring horror writer or glassblower and you’re expecting to be in the Boston area this weekend, you may want to check out the Boston Center for Adult Education. This is because the Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE) is hosting two Halloween themed classes this Sunday (October 19, 2014) as part of their Haunted Halloween at the BCAE event series. The first class, which is entitled the Thriller/Horror Novel Writing Workshop, is a one-day session that is designed for aspiring writers that want to learn more about the characters, dialogue, story structure, suspense-building techniques, and other methods that are in used in some of the great novels of the horror genre. The second class, which is entitled Glass Blowing Workshop: Glass Pumpkins, is a one-day session that will teach you how to make your own hollow glass pumpkin. For more information on these events and other events at the BCAE, please visit the Boston Center for Adult Education’s class page.

Secondly, if you’re not really into horror or glassblowing, but you have some kids that are absolutely obsessed with Halloween and the zoo, you may want to consider heading over to the Stone Zoo on Saturday or Sunday (October 18 – 19, 2014.) This is because the Stone Zoo is combining everything your kids love about Halloween and the zoo into one program entitled “Boo at the Zoo.” This program will allow your kids to enter a costume contest, make their way through a haunted maze, play some Halloween-themed games, trick-or-treat around the zoo, try their hands at some Halloween-themed arts and crafts, and more. For more information on Boo at the Zoo, which runs from 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. each day this weekend, please visit the Zoo New England Boo at the Zoo page.

Finally, if you’re part of the mob scene in Salem and you’re looking for something to entertain your kids, there are actually three events on the Salem Common this weekend that may be perfect. The first event is the Annual Children’s Halloween Parade & Costume Party, which is an opportunity for your child to show off their Halloween costume in a parade, partake in some games and crafts, and possibly even win some prizes. The second event is the Providence Grays Baseball Game, which will actually allow you and your family to watch a baseball game played using Civil War style bats, uniforms, and rules. The third and final event on the common this weekend is “The Box.” This event, which is presented by the Gallows Hill Theatre, is an interactive performance that is designed to have children of all ages rolling on the floor laughing. For more information on all of the events on Salem Common this weekend and other events throughout Salem, please visit the Salem Haunted Happenings website.

Photo credit: mattieb / Foter / CC BY-SA

Friday Fun: Haunted Houses

With All Hallows’ Eve less than a week away, Salem, Massachusetts has already begun to kick its Halloween celebration into full gear. In fact, this weekend, crowds of people will swarm to the Salem area to check out the carnival, visit the museums, see a reenactment of the witch trials, take part in a ghost tour, and/or partake in any of a countless number of other “Haunted Happenings” in the Witch City. However, if you’re looking for something truly creepy to do with your friends and/or family this weekend, you may want to check out one of the city’s haunted houses.

Salem is known for its wide assortment of haunted attractions, and there is certainly no shortage of haunted houses within the city. The only problem is that there are so many haunted houses in Salem that it can be difficult to figure out which one to go to. Fortunately, if a haunted house is what you’re looking for, there are a couple of attractions that are definitely worth a visit.

First, if you’re looking for the haunted house experience without all of the walking, the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre has one of the creepiest stage shows you will ever see. This show, which is one of the most highly rated attractions in Salem, will not only try to scare you right out of your seat but will also try to teach you about the Salem witch trials and the mythology surrounding witches. I have to admit that this is one of my favorite attractions in Salem, and the live actors and the special effects will definitely have your heart racing by the end of the show. For more information on the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre, please visit the Gallows Hill website.

Secondly, if you’re looking for a more traditional haunted house, you may want to pay the Witch Mansion, located on the Essex Street pedestrian mall, a visit. This haunted house, complete with its own back story, uses a combination of live actors and special effects to create a truly creepy experience. Best of all, if you want to go to the Witch Mansion with a child that’s a little too young for all of the creepiness, you can get a special necklace that will literally protect your child from all of the monsters inside the house (for an additional fee of course. Mhahahaha!) For more information on the Witch Mansion, please visit the Witch Mansion’s website.

Photo credit: country_boy_shane / Foter / CC BY-ND