The Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts

While this tragic association that lead to the persecution and death of 19 innocent people is obviously not something the locals of Salem Massachusetts celebrate, it does lend the historic town a certain eerie fascination that's amplified during the month of October in the lead up to Halloween on October 31.

“Salem turns into Halloween town for the entire month of October,” Salem Witch Museum manager Jill Christiansen tells me. “It's decorated from top to bottom, the streets are crowded with people from around the world and people are in costume all month – weekends are especially fun.”

This spooky interest in the city's supernatural history is something that's played up in Salem with haunted houses, after-dark haunted tours and psychic readings on offer. Even the town's cabs (painted a Wicked shade of green) are emblazoned with logos stating ‘Witch City Taxi' and witches' hats – faster than hitching a ride on a broom, I guess!

On the day I visit Salem, where the sky is neither grey or blue but a whiter shade of pale that's the perfect fall backdrop to the naked branches of deciduous trees and moody 17-century mansions, it's the ideal atmosphere to wander the ever-so walkable streets of Salem. Let's go…

First, orient yourself on the red Salem Trolley tour. The one-hour tour with commentary from Salem-born-and-bred guide, Chris, trundles through downtown Salem from the Regional Visitor Centre out to Winter Island and back, pointing out historic highlights of Salem's maritime heritage, significant sites of the Witch Trials, stunning Federation-style architecture, World War II bunkers and more.

Chris tells us that the Salem population of 43,000 swells to 250,000 with people eager to celebrate Halloween during October and even the police dress up.

The trolley ride takes you down Essex Street where plaques on the historic houses denote when they were built and by who – Salem sea captains, merchant traders, cordwainers and other long-lost trades are among the original owners of these beautiful buildings that are well worth a look after the tour if you want to dive deeper into Salem's history.

There's also the Peabody Essex Museum, the oldest continuously operating museum in the United States, for a bit more history.

The city is also the filming location of ‘90s Disney favourite Hocus Pocus, and fans can check out some of the popular attractions such as The Ropes Mansion (a stately white building whose exterior doubled as Allison's house in the movie), and the red-brick Old Town Hall where the kids' parents partied for Halloween.

Other Salem attractions include Dani's house, a private residence located at 4 Ocean Avenue, which was famously used as the Dennison family home in Hocus Pocus.

After I alight from the trolley, I'm transported back to the fear and uncertainty of the pilgrim era – immortalised in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible – at the Salem Witch Museum. During October, lines snake down from Kimball Court on one side to William Street and wrap around the block, such is the popularity of this site.

Outside the museum is a statue of Roger Conant, the colonist and founder of Salem who is often erroneously thought to be a witch or warlock due to his pointed pilgrim headwear.

Within the museum, you'll be taken through an historic re-enactment of the Witch Trials of 1692, a presentation in the round that describes the heightened atmosphere of fear and religion that lead to these tragic happenings.

Don't miss the guided walk through the Witches: Evolving Perceptions exhibit that highlights how ongoing ‘witch hunts' have continued around the globe. Fun fact: witches weren't depicted as having green skin until The Wizard of Oz movie in 1939, a makeup look that's now synonymous with Halloween costumes.

More Witch Trial museums and attractions include The Witch House (the 17th-century home of Witch Trials judge Jonathan Corwin and the only structure in Salem with direct ties to the 1692 events), Witch History Museum and Salem Witch Village.

With Salem Witch Museum manager Jill as my local (spirit) guide, we continue on to the Salem Witch Trials Memorial on Charter Street, which is located right behind the Old Burying Point.

Such was the fury of anti-witch hysteria, those condemned in the Witch Trials of 1692 weren't afforded a burial in the cemetery, so the Salem Witch Trials Memorial is a spot for descendants and visitors to pay their respects to those 19 people.

There are stone slabs for the victims where people leave mementos such as flowers and coins. Jill says while the slabs are designed for sitting and reflecting, no one seems to out of respect.

The Old Burying Point Cemetery, established in 1637 with its crooked headstones and towering trees, is Salem's oldest cemetery, and is the final resting place of many notable residents, such as author Nathaniel Hawthorne.

The Essex Street Pedestrian Mall in the Downtown District stretches from the Visitor Centre to Washington Street (where the Bewitched statue of Samantha stands) and is adorned with decorated ship busts that hark back at Salem's distinguished maritime heritage (the port amassed a huge amount of wealth from trading spices and goods in the 17th and 18th centuries).

My next stop on the Witch Trial history route is Cry Innocent: The People versus Bridget Bishop, a live re-enactment of the courtroom examination of Bridget Bishop in 1692.

The cast stays in character throughout their performance in the mall, drumming up interest, before we, the audience, buy tickets and follow them to the Old Town Hall on Derby Square.

Inside, I take a seat upstairs as the proceedings commence. The audience represents the Puritan jury in the trial of Bridget Bishop and are able to cross-examine the witnesses and then decide the outcome.

We voted ‘not guilty' but sadly, that wasn't the real verdict. Seated next to me was a lawyer from Adelaide, who was quite involved in the questioning. She told me afterwards that she felt quite passionately about the Witch Trials and loved the opportunity to question the ‘witnesses' and poke holes in their sketchy testimonies.

As Salem is Halloween central, there's no shortage of shops to purchase souvenirs from Witch City.

You can visit witch shops, such as Artemisia Botanicals, The Coven's Cottage and Crow Haven Corner, which all stock a bewitching array of ingredients; and my fave, the modern HausWitch Home + Healing store.

Located next door to what I was told was a haunted house, HausWitch is a clean, white space where you can purchase ready-made packaged spells, spell books and covetable artisan items made locally. Witch City Wicks has a great selection of Halloween-themed soy candles, and the Salem Witch Museum has gifts that run the gamut of kitschy magic souvenirs (including Harry Potter merchandise) to educational books.

If you're in the market to know your future, you can do that in downtown Salem, too. All of the above local shops offer tarot, tea leaf or psychic readings and magic circles as well as private appointments, all of which are popular with visitors.

Forget what you think you know about "spooky season". This isn't your neighbour's questionable graveyard decor and a bowl of sugary treats. Visiting Salem in October is a different beast entirely, and the month-long Salem Haunted Happenings Festival is the beating (and slightly undead) heart of it all.

It’s less a festival and more a complete-and-total takeover by all things beautifully, historically eerie. Halloween in Salem is a cultural moment where the city leans into its reputation with a clever wink.

Think street fairs meet history lesson, all wrapped in a costume party to rule them all. You've got haunted harbour cruises, costume contests and chilling historical walking tours that separate the real lore from the Hocus Pocus fantasy, and psychic readings that are somehow both deeply serious and amusing.

The haunted happenings atmosphere is a high-voltage buzz of tourists, history buffs, and folks who genuinely look like they moonlight as coven members. It's the only place you'll see a Puritan-era tour guide sharing a pumpkin spice latte with people dressed as a highly detailed ghouls.

A Salem Halloween is a masterclass in controlled chaos and the perfect excuse to finally break out that elaborate spooky costume you've been thinking about since last November. This is peak autumn travel, fused with a limb of supernatural spectacle.

The Salem Haunted Happenings Parade kicks off the Halloween season on the first Thursday in October where the whole community marches – police, firemen, schools, the mayor, city council and the Salem Chamber of Commerce. Don't miss the Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade where locals dress up the furry members of their family. Or there's the Salem Harvest Fest with cider and craft beer.

Then there's the Pumpkin Walk with specially carved pumpkins on display around town. The Hawthorne Hotel also hosts the official Salem Witches Ball and Annual Halloween Party.

Events in Salem are on throughout October, but if you're in Salem for the big event, expect traffic delays due to road closures and make sure to get there early (before 8:30pm) to make the most of the Halloween festivities. Jill says there's live music stages throughout downtown, with revellers and street performers everywhere.

Jill says Salem residents have mixed feelings about the October Salem Halloween festivities and the true story of the witchcraft trials. “Some embrace it and some can't wait for the month to be over. I have lived here for 25 years and was leery of it all at the start but in a short time I came to enjoy it – the holiday action increases every year.”

There's no Halloween in the world quite like a Salem Massachusetts Halloween!