SALEM — Muskets popped, dunk tanks dropped, and bags of kettle corn unraveled. These and much more were all part of Salem’s big birthday bash that brought the town together.
On Saturday, the town celebrated its 275th anniversary with “Salembration,” a full day of festivities for the whole family. Geremonty Drive was closed and car free, transformed into a parade for pedestrians with a new attraction at every turn.
The sights, sounds and flavors kept visitors plenty busy throughout a cloudless weekend afternoon, stretching across multiple venues.
Woodbury School celebrated its 100th anniversary with a number of events while an enormous cake sat in front of Town Hall with the number 275 emblazoned in the “frosting.”
At Salem High School, Colonial actors portrayed Revolutionary War soldiers as a car show glistened in the afternoon sun in the parking lot. At Town Hall, kids crawled over fire, police and public works vehicles at the Touch-A-Truck event while town officials got drenched in the dunk tank.
The day was orchestrated by the 275th Anniversary Commission, which is co-chaired by Town Councilor Joe Sweeney and Recreation Coordinator Juliann Isabelle. The commission’s 14 members were appointed by the Town Council and plucked representatives from the Salem School District, the Historical Society and several other town agencies.
Planning the event took the group about 18 months, Sweeney said.
“Salem is always looking for ways to get together as a community,” Sweeney added. “Being able to celebrate the 275th anniversary, and 100 years of Woodbury School as well. Any opportunity we have to bring the town together, we take. So, this is the perfect day to express Salem’s identity.”
At Woodbury School, the 100th anniversary dedication offered facility tours for visitors. The Field of Dreams hosted barbecue food vendors, a beer garden, bouncy houses, and a steady rotation of performers taking stage at the Chaser Pavilion.
Live music filled the field as spectators set up lawn chairs and rocked their heads to the tunes. The afternoon featured sets from Kevin Elliot, the George Williams Band, Ashley Wineland and others. The kids were likewise occupied, darting from the face painting station to the monkey bars on the playground and posing for a photo ops with their favorite superheroes including Batman and Wonder Woman.
For those seeking a little shade, Salem High School opened its doors as a cooling station. Inside, historical displays told the town’s past, while outside, reenactors set up an encampment and invited passersby into the 18th century.
The actors, outfitted in colonial garments, all played their parts – from the blacksmith to the craft makers to the troop of Revolutionary War soldiers. In unison, the costumed combatants hoisted their muskets high and cracked a blank round into the blazing summer sky. A crowd swiftly strung together around the reenactors, with some spectators stepping forward to take on the role of General George Washington.
In the high school parking lot, row after row of polished cars gleamed below the sun’s rays, their vibrant paint jobs and vintage trims catching the eyes of visitors. Nearby, food trucks pumped out plates piled high for hungry patrons. The impromptu food court emitted an array of sweet and salty aromas with sizzling burger patties, healthy servings of ice cream, and crispy fried delights.
At Town Hall, the Salem Fire and Police departments pitched some popular tents, with the firefighters offering hands-on demonstrations and welcoming families aboard a fire truck. Nearby, there were many more heavy vehicles awaiting curious company as children swarmed the Touch-A-Truck array.
A towering fake cake, dressed with oversized candles and plastered with the number “275,” sat prominently in front of Town Hall.
One person who was certainly cooling down from the hot summer sun was Town Councilor Sweeney, who is also a state representative. He endured repeated plunges into the ice cold dunk tank. Community members lined up to knock him into the water, aiming at the tank’s trigger.
“There’s a lot of good teamwork involved in this,” he said, as water dripped from his drenched clothes. “A lot of great community organizations have stepped up and are taking part to turn today into this.”