Salem Chamber Haunted Happenings Grand Parade

08/30/2024

The 27th Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade will take place, as always, on the first Thursday of October, October 3rd, 2024. The parade will follow the normal route from Prime Group Shetland Park to Salem Common.

The theme for this year’s Parade is “Our Time on Earth”, inspired by the 2024 exhibition that was previously on view at the Peabody Essex Museum, which should give parade participants a wide array of costumes and stories to tell!

“Our Time on Earth” was part of PEM’s Climate + Environment Initiative. The traveling exhibition from the Barbican Centre in London celebrated the power of global creativity to transform the conversation around the climate emergency. The structures and design featured in the exhibition were sourced from biodegradable, sustainable materials to minimize carbon footprint. And the exhibit challenged the audience to imagine the ideal future world. What will it look like? How will we use the precious time we have here on earth? What will it take to live together in harmony? And that’s exactly what the Salem Chamber hopes all students and schools will do this year: use everyone’s creativity to talk and educate about the climate crisis. Looking for ideas or inspiration for your costume? Explore on Instagram!

The Parade is a special nighttime tradition for the city of Salem and visitors alike to officially kick off Salem’s Halloween season. The evening should be a night full of color, pageantry, music, and the enthusiasm of thousands of Salem’s students from kindergarten to college plus many local business owners. Over 15,000 spectators (children, adults, and those in between) are expected to attend.

Click here to learn more, see the parade route, and find the parade application to sponsor and/or march with us: http://www.salem-chamber.org/haunted-happenings-grand-parade

10/05/2023

Tonight is PARADE NIGHT!! We are extremely excited to have you all join us in downtown Salem to kick off the Haunted Happenings festivities!!

Thank you so much to our very generous sponsors of this years' 26th Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade!!! We would not be able to host this beloved community kick-off of the Haunted Happenings Festival and the Halloween season without their support and involvement. The parade departs Shetland Park this Thursday at 6:30PM and you will be sure to see all of these amazing companies and institutions marching with us!! Learn more about the parade timeframe, route, road closures, etc. online here: http://www.salem-chamber.org/haunted-happenings-grand-parade

Learn more about our great sponsors below!
Atlantic Toyota
Blackcraft
Burba Dental Partners
Coffee Time Bake Shop
Eastern Bank
NEW ENGLAND SECURITY & PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY
North Shore Bank
Peabody Essex Museum
Rockland Trust
Salem State University
Salem Waterfront Hotel
Salem Witch Museum
St Jean's Credit Union
Witch City Walking Tours

10/28/2022

Planned Road Closures for Halloween in Salem.

Do not drive to Salem 10/29-10/31; take public transportation if planning to visit.

The City of Salem has announced planned road closures for October 29 and October 31. Closures may also be instituted on October 30 if necessary.

Those who drive through Salem as part of their regular commute should not plan on doing so October 29-31 and should seek alternative routes through the area.

Those planning to visit Salem between October 29-31 should use public transportation. Parking is limited and will not be available, and many downtown roads will be closed to traffic.

ROAD CLOSURES
On Saturday October 29, the Salem Police Department will close most downtown streets by 11:00 a.m., and on Monday October 31 downtown streets close by 3:00 p.m., though some may close earlier if there is a public safety need. If necessary, some road closures will also take place on October 30.

Traffic moving in and out of Salem is expected to be extremely heavy between 4:00 p.m. and midnight on October 29 and October 31, and possible October 30.

Planned road closures include: Essex Street from North Street to Union Street, Washington Street from New Derby Street to Bridge Street, Federal Street from Washington Street to North Street (and a small portion of Federal Street by the BRIX building), a portion of Church Street, a portion of Lynde Street, Washington Square North and West from Essex Street to Williams Street, a portion of Washington Square South, Hawthorne Boulevard, Derby Street from Lafayette Street to Congress Street, Route 1A, Charter Street, Central Street, Front Street, and Lafayette Street from New Derby Street to Front Street.

Please also be aware that crowd size could also require the Police Department to shutdown other streets not listed above, as well as street closures on Sunday, October 30th.

Bridge Street at Sgt. James Ayube Memorial Drive will also close to all traffic between the westerly overpass ramps and Sgt. James Ayube Memorial Drive from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for the closing fireworks to be held at 10:00 p.m. on October 31.

NO PARKING AREAS
Posted temporary no parking tow zones from 6:00 a.m. to midnight October 29 and October 31 include:
- Lafayette Street from Derby Street to Front Street on both sides.
- Public parking lot along Front Street.
- Public parking spaces located at the Front Street/Central/Charter
Streets intersection.
- Essex Street from North Street to Union Street on both sides.
- Derby Street from Union Street to Lafayette St on both sides.
- Hawthorne Boulevard on both sides.
- Front Street.
- Central Street.
- Church Street.
- Washington Street from New Derby to Bridge Street on both
sides.
- Washington Square South and West on both sides, and a portion
of Washington Square North.
- Norman Street from Washington Street to Crombie Street.
- New Derby Street from Klop Alley to Lafayette Street.
- Margin Street in front of the post office is no parking and open for taxi standing only.
- Federal Street from St. Peter’s Street to Washington Street,
including near the old courts, on both sides.

Follow posted no parking areas carefully. Illegally parked cars in these areas will be ticketed and towed away for public safety.

Downtown residents will be able to park in the YMCA/Sewall Street parking lot on October 31. A driver’s license or proof of downtown residency will be required to access this lot. Please do not park in the spaces reserved for early voting.

10/11/2022

10/05/2022

The Salem Chamber Haunted Happenings Grand Parade starts at 6:30 p.m. at Shetland Office Park on Congress Street on Thursday October 6 in . The parade route is as follows: from Congress Street at Shetland Park the parade will take a left onto Derby Street, a right onto Central Street, a left onto Front Street, a right onto Washington Street, a right onto the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall, a left onto Washington Square West, and into the Salem Common.

Roads along the parade route will be closed to traffic. Anticipate traffic delays on Route 114 and Route 1A. Route 1A from Derby Street to Brown Street will be closed to traffic from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Other road closures will be Congress Street, Washington Street, Essex Street from Washington Street to Union Street, Central Street, Front Street, and Washington Square West, North, and South. There will be no parking tow zones along the entire parade route.

No Parking – Tow Zone Areas

A parking ban will be in effect on October 6 on the following streets between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Any vehicle parked in these areas will be towed.

-Congress Street both sides from Derby Street to Harbor Street.
-Essex Street from Washington Street to Hawthorne Boulevard.
-Central Street both sides from Charter Street to Derby Street.
-Derby Street both sides from Congress Street to Lafayette Street.
-Front Street both sides from Washington Street to Lafayette Street.
-Washington Square both sides from Essex Street to Brown Street.
-Parking meter spaces at the intersection of Charter Street, Front Street, and Central Street.
-Washington Street between Essex Street and Front Street, metered spaces.

Road Closures

The following roads will be closed on October 6 from 6:00 p.m. until approximately 9:30 p.m.

-Congress Street will be closed from Harbor Street to Derby Street.
-Derby Street will be closed from Congress Street to Central Street.
-Commuters will not be able to use Route 1A between Dodge Street and Brown Street, which includes Derby Street, Hawthorne Boulevard, and Washington Square at the Common entrance.
-Front Street and Washington Street between New Derby Street and Church Street.
-Essex Street will be closed at Washington Street.

Garage Access

Vehicles parked in the South Harbor Garage will not be able to exit until approximately 9:00 p.m.

The Museum Place Garage entrance will only be accessible from Church Street or St. Peter Street. Vehicles exiting the Museum Place Garage will only be able to take a left onto to Brown Street and a right onto St. Peter Street.

10/01/2022

The Salem Chamber of Commerce cordially invites you to downtown Salem on Thursday, October 6, 2022 to enjoy the 25th Annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade. The parade is back to featuring the traditional Shetland Park to Salem Common route (see map here). This year’s event will feature the theme “Who’s Your Hero?”. The first marching groups and floats leave Shetland Park at 6:30PM and the last groups are anticipated to arrive at the Salem Common between 7:45PM-8:15PM.

Mayor Kim Driscoll will be the parade’s Grand Marshall again. The second Grand Marshall this year are the original Founders of Haunted Happenings, which celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year! Founders include the original 1982 Festival Coordinators Salem Witch Museum and the Salem Chamber of Commerce, as well as a number of other businesses and organizations such as the Peabody Museum of Salem/Essex Institute (now Peabody Essex Museum), Hawthorne Inn (now Hawthorne Hotel), Historic Salem, Inc., Laurie Cabot, Naumkeag Trust (now Eastern Bank), Salem, Massachusetts - City Government, Parker Brothers, The Salem News and the Witch Dungeon Museum.

Sensory Friendly Area: We have designated Central Street (from New Derby Street to Front Street) to be our Sensory Friendly Area for those that are sensitive to bright flashing lights and/or loud music and sirens. We are asking all parade marchers to refrain from playing music or operating sirens or horns and shut off all flashing lights etc. upon entering Central Street.

This time honored kick off the Halloween season is full of color, pageantry, music and the enthusiasm of thousands of Salem’s students from kindergarten to college and our local business community. Their participation is what makes this a highly successful, cherished event for us all!

10/28/2021

Important Information from Destination Salem, the Salem Office of Tourism, about visiting this weekend, and particularly, Halloween Night. Please read thru as it will help you better navigate what is likely to be a very busy, but fun weekend!

10/22/2021

VISITING SALEM THIS WEEKEND? AVOID DRIVING DOWNTOWN

Visitors should plan ahead: downtown parking lots and garages, which cost $30+ for the day, are anticipated to be full by 10 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. Reports from previous weekends indicate that the dense tourism traffic could make the drive from RT128/RT95 to downtown Salem take as much as an hour or more.

Avoid the traffic by taking the MBTA Commuter Rail (https://cdn.mbta.com/.../10-2021-salem-haunted-happenings...) from Boston, Lynn, or Beverly to Downtown Salem. Save money on parking and save time since you leave the station and can walk to all of the nearest attractions. If you must drive to Salem, Park at the City's FREE satellite parking and take the free shuttles to downtown https://www.salem.com/home/urgent-alerts/salem-downtown-shuttle-info) Both are better options than getting stuck in the downtown traffic.

The City of Salem is advising all travelers planning to visit during the remaining weekends in October to take the train, ride the ferry, or use satellite parking.

Taking public transportation or using the City's FREE satellite parking options will save visitors time, money, and frustration.
The MBTA has added extra trains for Saturday, October 23, Sunday, October 24, Saturday, October 30, and Sunday, October 31.

Free shuttles will run from 10 AM - 8 PM on Saturday and Sunday from three satellite lots:
-Salem High School, 77 Willson Street (accessible bus stop)
-Salem State University O’Keefe Center Lot, 225 Canal Street
-108 Jefferson Avenue, behind Salem Hospital (accessible bus stop)
-Downtown drop location: Riley Plaza, Margin Street

Park at an MBTA Garage and take the train to Salem. (Check garage capacity on Twitter at ):
-325 Broad Street, Lynn
-100 Rantoul Street, Beverly
Parking and traffic updates are shared via the Destination Salem app and Haunted Happenings on Twitter as well as the City of Salem app and Twitter feed.

10/19/2021

Visiting Salem This Weekend? Train, Shuttles Best Options for October Weekend Visits to Salem

The City of Salem, Massachusetts will provide free satellite parking and shuttle service to downtown activities during the final three weekends of Salem Haunted Happenings. (https://www.hauntedhappenings.org/plan-ahead-take-public-transportation-to-salem-for-the-final-two-weekends-of-october/)

Free shuttles run October 16-17, 23-24, and 30-31 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Free satellite parking lots are located at Salem State University’s O’Keefe Center parking lot (225 Canal Street), Salem High School (77 Willson Street), and at 108 Jefferson Avenue behind Salem Hospital.

It is STRONGLY advised that visitors not plan on driving into downtown Salem on October weekends. Parking fills up early and traffic is heavy throughout the day and evening. Those planning a visit to Salem and will be driving should use the free satellite lots and shuttles to save time, money, and aggravation. The best option for getting to Salem, however, is to take the MBTA commuter rail. Salem’s train station is directly downtown and walkable to all attractions and destinations.

Train, Shuttles Best Options for October
Weekend Visits to Salem

The City of Salem, Massachusetts will provide free satellite parking and shuttle service to downtown activities during the final three weekends of Salem Haunted Happenings.

Free shuttles run October 16-17, 23-24, and 30-31 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Free satellite parking lots are located at Salem State University’s O’Keefe Center parking lot (225 Canal Street), Salem High School (77 Willson Street), and at 108 Jefferson Avenue behind Salem Hospital.

It is STRONGLY advised that visitors not plan on driving into downtown Salem on October weekends. Parking fills up early and traffic is heavy throughout the day and evening. Those planning a visit to Salem and will be driving should use the free satellite lots and shuttles to save time, money, and aggravation. The best option for getting to Salem, however, is to take the MBTA commuter rail. Salem’s train station is directly downtown and walkable to all attractions and destinations.