In 1982, the Salem Chamber of Commerce and the Salem Witch Museum launched the first-ever SALEM HAUNTED HAPPENINGS FESTIVAL, a Halloween weekend celebration designed to offer family-friendly fun for those curious about the “Witch City.” That first year welcomed around 50,000 visitors. Today, more than 1 million people travel to Salem each October to experience the magic of Halloween.
Over the years, Salem Haunted Happenings has evolved into a month-long celebration filled with costume balls, haunted harbor cruises, magic shows, ghost tours, psychic readings, and more. It draws families, couples, history buffs, bachelorette parties, horror fans, and Halloween lovers from around the world.
Members of the modern Pagan and Witch communities have a home in Salem, where Samhain is celebrated each October to mark the end of the harvest season and the coming of winter. Salem’s modern Witches have the unique opportunity to share their beliefs and traditions with both locals and out-of-town guests during the Halloween season.
Whether you’re here for the history, the haunts, the shopping, the food and “spirits,” or simply the festive atmosphere, you’ll find your own kind of magic in Salem this October, our Halloween Capital of the World.
