The Good Witch of Salem's Halloween Costume Ball (2024)

FAQs

Does Salem, MA do anything for Halloween? ›

While Salem is home to a slew of spooktacular events, attractions, and festivities all year long, the Haunted Happenings festival, which takes place every October, truly takes the cake.

Salem's connection to Halloween begins with the tragic events that unfolded during the Salem Witch Trials. The 19 innocent victims who lost their lives in 1692 were not witches, they were only so accused due to Puritan beliefs of the time.

This is fun and all, but do you know that Salem's link to witches and to Halloween comes from a sad time in the city's distant past? In 1692, Salem was the setting for the witch trials. At that time, a bunch of girls began having “fits.” The public was quick to think the girls had fallen under the spells of witches.

All October long in Salem, you'll see lots of people in costumes and dressed on-theme for Halloween. And all throughout the year, you'll see tourists channeling the darkness in all-black outfits and spooky-inspired looks.

Many of the outdoor scenes in the movie were filmed at Salem Common. Located near other Salem landmarks like the Salem Witch Museum and the Hawthorne Hotel, Salem Common is the site of numerous events from the Salem Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival in September to the Salem Witches' Magic Circle on Halloween.

It's also one of the busiest Octobers that Witch City has ever seen, with over 100,000 people flooding the streets on a single day. Given the size of the crowds, it's not the best time to whip out the old broomstick and fly in on a whim.

Mary Ann Warren ( c. 1674 — c. 1710) was an accuser and later confessed witch during the 1692 Salem witch trials.

Although Hocus Pocus is a fantasy, the film has ties to real-life Salem, including a leading actress who's related to an accused witch! So leave your laid-back, California, tie-dyed point of view at the door because we're delving into the world of Hocus Pocus and how it relates to Salem, then and now.

Accusations followed, often escalating to convictions and executions. The Salem witch trials and executions came about as the result of a combination of church politics, family feuds, and hysterical children, all of which unfolded in a vacuum of political authority.

Nineteen people were executed, 14 women and five men. An 81-year-old man was accidentally killed, pressed to death by stones during torture. All the accused were pardoned by the end of 1693. In many ways, the witch hunt fit in with New England folk beliefs and theology, says Brown.

Who was the first to fall ill in the Salem witch trials? ›

January 1692- Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village's daughter, 9-year-old Elizabeth “Betty” Parris, falls ill, soon followed by his 11-year-old niece, Abigail Williams.

Do not bring weapons, real or fake. They will be confiscated. Public consumption of alcohol is prohibited. Arrive no later than 8:30 PM so you have time to make the most of your Halloween experience in Salem.

Native American Cultures and Clothing: Native American Is Not a Costume. Dressing up as a Native American is never appropriate. For years, classrooms across the country have included special days where students "dress up" as Native Americans for different celebrations and lesson activities.

Girls continued to wear gowns throughout their childhood years. A grown woman would wear a long-sleeved wool waistcoat, a bodice that had stays (stiffened supports, often made of bone), and a petticoat (multiple layers might be added to the petticoat to give additional warmth during the winter).

Trick or treating is a time-honored event in every community in America. But in Salem Ma, home of the month-long Halloween celebration known as Haunted Happenings, we give it a twist: trick or treating with the Mayor! That's correct.

Downtown Salem streets will close to all traffic no later than 4:00 p.m. Please note that the MBTA closes the MBTA Salem garage from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Halloween. Cars will not be permitted to enter or exit the garage between these hours.

The Ultimate Halloween Experience during the entire month of October is HERE in Salem, Massachusetts! The Fun and Excitement are without equal! and fall under the spooky spell of Salem!

In October, the city of Salem undergoes a remarkable transformation. What was once a place that cautiously avoided mentioning witches, especially after the notorious Salem witch trials in the late 1600s, has become synonymous with Halloween.