Haunted Happenings – Page 2

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

Columbus Day Weekend

"Yikes! Could you find your way to the East Indies with this map?" — “Yikes! Could you find your way to the East Indies with this map?”

You’ve probably heard the old line “in fourteen hundred ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” However, did you know that this line is actually part of an entire poem by Ramon Montaigne? I’m willing to wager, unless you actually read the entire poem when you were learning about Christopher Columbus in elementary school, that you probably heard the first line of the poem somewhere but knew nothing about the rest of it. In fact, even though we celebrate Columbus Day every year around this time, most people don’t really know what we’re celebrating beyond the fact that Columbus got hopelessly lost and, like most of us, didn’t want to admit that he never reached his actual destination. Yet, regardless of why we celebrate the holiday, this weekend is a three-day weekend throughout most of the United States and, if you are in the Salem area this weekend, it is a great time to enjoy some more of the city’s Halloween festivities.

First, if you really wanted to go to the Bizarre Bazaar last weekend, but you missed it, you’re in luck because the Salem Open Market begins today. This market, while not as big as the Bizarre Bazaar, will give the opportunity to purchase artwork, clothing, jewelry, and more from over 50 different vendors every weekend until Halloween. For more information on the Salem Open Market, please visit the Official Salem Open Market website.

Secondly, if you’re looking for something more frightening than an empty wallet (well…potentially more frightening), you may want to check out the House of the Seven Gables. The House of the Seven Gables is currently offering two different Halloween themed performances. The first performance, entitled “Legacy of the Hanging Judge”, is the story of the Salem Witch Trials from the perspective of the famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne who not only wrote the Crucible but was also a direct descendant of the infamous judge that presided over the witch trials, Judge John Hathorne (the “w” in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s name was actually added to distance his family from the judge’s madness.) The second performance, entitled “Spirits of the Gables”, is the story of the House of the Seven Gables as told by the ghosts of some of the novel’s characters, but these characters are still haunting the house that originally inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write the story. For more information on both performances, please visit the House of the Seven Gables October Performances page.

Finally, if you’re looking for something that is not frightening and/or Halloween-related, you can always head over to Topsfield Fair. Topsfield Fair, which runs until this Monday (October 13, 2014), is an agricultural fair that features artwork, contests, crafts, farm animals, flowers, food, a large number of vendors, special performances, and a whole lot more. You may even have the chance to see one of the world’s largest pumpkins! For more information on the Topsfield Fair, please visit the Topsfield Fair website.

Photo credit: Foter / Public Domain Mark 1.0

Haunted Happenings Has Begun!

Now that the parade has come and gone,
the Halloween season in Salem has officially begun.
And, even though the bands and floats are done,
there’s certainly no shortage of fun.
In fact, with an entire booklet of events to choose from,
there’s really no way that you could be glum.
As a result, if you’re looking for a way to enjoy the season from the start,
here are some events this weekend that will surely play the part.

First, if you’re a Salem resident, you may want to check out the Mayor’s Night Out in Salem. The Mayor’s Night Out is the city’s way of thanking all of the residents of the city for resisting the urge to revolt against the oncoming tide of tourists. This event allows Salem Residents with an appropriate ID to enjoy a number of the city’s attractions and museums at no cost or at a significantly reduced rate. Some of the attractions that are free this year include the Gallows Hill Museum & Theatre, the New England Pirate Museum, the Salem Wax Museum, the Witch Dungeon Museum, the Witch History Museum, and the Witch House. The Peabody Essex Museum, the Salem Museum, and the Salem Witch Museum are also free to Salem Residents, but these museums are actually free to residents year-round. For more information on the Mayor’ Night in Salem, which runs from 3:00 P.M. to 10 P.M. today (October 3, 2014), please visit the Official Salem website.

Secondly, if you’re not a Salem resident or you’re more interested in shopping than museums, the Bizarre Bazaar may be more what you’re looking for. The Bizarre Bazaar, which is also known as the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair, will feature over 90 vendors selling everything from apparel to zombie-themed accessories. The Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair will also feature a number of street performers and musicians that will be sure to keep you and your family entertained while you shop. For more information on the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair, which runs from 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. on Saturday and 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Sunday, please visit the Salem Chamber of Commerce website.

Finally, if you don’t have a great deal of interest in driving into Salem or you would just prefer to play with some LEGOs, the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston may have the perfect Halloween event for you. This is because the LEGOLAND Discover Center is hosting a Brick-O-Treat Event from now until Halloween. This event will allow you and/or your kids to build spooky creations out of LEGOs, search for Monster Minifigures in their Monster Mash Scavenger Hunt, search for LEGO pumpkins, and take part in a custome contest for some awesome prizes. For more information on Brick-O-Treat, please visit the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston website.

Photo credit: kennymatic / Foter / CC BY

The Season of the Witch

This coming Thursday marks the official opening of the Halloween season in Salem, which means that you will be able to have a “frighteningly” good time in the very near future. In fact, there’s no shortage of spooky events scheduled for the next month in the Witch City, and the fun will continue right through All Hallows Eve. However, just because the festivities don’t officially start until Thursday doesn’t mean that you have to wait for the fun to begin. There are already a number of Halloween events scheduled in the Salem area and beyond this weekend, and if you’re looking for a way to start off the season a little early, you’ve come to the right place.

First, if you’ve always been a fan of creepy artwork, there’s no better place to be than the Terror Fantasies Art Show. The Terror Fantasies Art Show, which is held at the Museum Place Mall in Salem from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until October 10th, features a wide range of horror and fantasy artwork. This means that you can expect to see black cats, jack-o-lanterns, vampires, zombies, witches, and just about every other creepy thing that has ever been associated with the season. For more information on the Terror Fantasies Art Show, please visit the Salem Haunted Happenings website.

Secondly, if you’re not a huge fan of art but you’ve always had a special place in your heart (still-beating or otherwise) for zombies, prepare yourself for the Boston Zombie Apocalypse. The Boston Zombie Apocalypse is an interactive live action game in which you play a survivor attempting to escape the Boston area after it has been overrun by zombies. This game, which is held at Stronghold Airsoft in Abington, MA, will allow you to use a special airsoft shotgun to defend yourself against the every-growing army of the undead. However, you won’t be alone, as a military escort will attempt to guide you to safety through the 25,000 square-foot facility designed to mimic a city complete with cars, buildings, and, of course, zombies trying to eat you. For more information on the event and/or to order tickets, please visit the Boston Zombie Apocalypse website.

Finally, if you’re looking for something that you can do with the kids and you don’t mind waiting until Thursday, you may want to head down to Salem for the Haunted Happenings Grand Parade. The Haunted Happenings Grand Parade marks the official opening of the Halloween season in Salem with bands, school groups, trolleys, real witches, and occasionally some special appearances by celebrities and interesting vehicles like the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters. This year’s parade will have a fantasy theme, so you should expect to see kids and adults from all over the area dressed as characters from Avatar, The Chronicles of Narnia, Frozen, Ghostbusters, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and a whole lot more. For more information on the parade, which will run from approximately 6:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. on Thursday, October 2, 2014, please visit the Salem Haunted Happenings website or the Salem Chamber of Commerce website.

Photo credit: Bob Linsdell / Foter / CC BY

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

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