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This year the Salem Wax Museum’s Haunted Neighborhood is back with their October Enchanters exhibit, but with an all-new twist! Local resident and aspiring fashion designer, Madison O’neil has created a fabulous exhibit that is new to the space with a crew of fashionably dressed vampires, back from the dead to show off their style. One of the most amazing aspects of this exhibit is that it was created through a collaboration with local artists and innovators. From the outfits and makeup that the mannequins sport, down to the stage that they stand on, all of the work was done by artists from the North Shore.
Walking down Liberty Street you will be greeted by “the enchanters”, a group of eight figures made from PVC and cast-iron piping, all topped with a pumpkin or skull heads, and wearing 1970’s inspired fall trench coats. The leader of the group is located ground level to allow visitors to take a close-up photo. The others float above the crowds attached to the surrounding buildings.
Stylist Madison, Marblehead resident and student at the School of Fashion Design in Boston, said she “was inspired by Salem’s retail history Salem’s 1970s retail history when it was home to the area’s destination stores attracting shoppers from Boston and throughout the North Shore”
All the clothes featured in the display came from local businesses “The trench coats were thrifted from various stores in Salem, Beverly, and Danvers. Beverly Bootstraps was vital for providing the accessories like scally caps and gloves,” said Madison, “Two of my favorite coats in this collection are from Witch City Consignment at the Jerry’s Department Store on Essex Street.”
The newest addition this year is an interactive photo opportunity complete with an aesthetically spooky fog machine to create the perfect ambience for any picture! The Vampiric Fashion exhibit highlights a group of young and fashionable vampires expressing their unique personalities through clothes, accessories, and makeup applied by Sonys Pykosz (@sonysmakeup). Similar to the Enchanter exhibit, O’niel sourced the clothing and accessories from local secondhand stores to create a sustainable and eco-friendly immersive fashion experience. Passersby are encouraged to join the young crew of vampires and take a picture. The exhibit is placed in a wonderful location in front of the Charter Street Cemetery creating a memorable and unique backdrop. O’neil was inspired through literature and pop culture to bring the vampiric fascination to the Haunted Neighborhood. Vampires are still more popular now than they were before the Vampire Renaissance of the early 2000s. The exhibit allows guests from all over to be able to experience the magic of Salem in a way that is equitable and sustainable from a monetary and environmentally friendly perspective. The exhibit is free for anyone to enjoy and is a way to give back to the community and visitors walking along Liberty Street. Learn more at salemenchanters.com
About the Salem Wax Museum and Salem Witch Village
Established in 1992, the Salem Wax Museum and Salem Witch Village are year-round attractions offering history and entertainment. Both are located on a dead-end street across from the Peabody Essex Museum and adjacent to the Tricentennial Witch Trials Memorial and The Charter Street Cemetery – reputed to be the 2nd oldest burial ground in the country.
The Salem Wax Museum is a self-guided, open gallery depicting Salem’s history from the witch trials hysteria to bold seafarers, including “The Hanging Judge” John Hathorne and the witch trial memorial statue. The Salem Witch Village is a guided presentation by a practicing witch focusing on the myths and the facts surrounding witches and their craft.
During October’s world-famous Haunted Happenings, they transform Liberty Street into the Haunted Neighborhood offering additional attractions like a candlelit walking tour, spellcasting, and the city’s oldest haunted houses. Learn more at SalemWaxMuseum.com
