SALEM — Harborwalk Garden is kicking off Haunted Happenings events in Salem this weekend with Fall Fire Fest, a two-night celebration of fire, cirque and live music at Charlotte Forten Park.
The festival marks the start of more than 31 days of Haunted Happening events that will include parades, pop-up marketplaces, costume runs, special tours, and much more.
Mark your calendars for Sept. 26-27 with Fall Fire Fest, featuring world-renowned fire archer and cirque performer Orissa Kelly and circus artist Chels Errante. The festival will include live music and entertainment, fire and cirque performances, an outdoor beer and wine garden, as well as pumpkin displays and fall décor. The event is free and open to all ages.
But first on Friday, the city will hold the annual Mayor’s Night Out, a children’s costume parade and trick-or-treat stop. During the event, participating museums and attractions will open free of charge to Salem residents throughout the day. Residents must provide a photo ID showing proof of Salem residency to gain free admission. Students may use a school ID card, bus pass, or a Salem Public Library card.
The Museum Place Mall Garage and the South Harbor Garage will offer free parking to Salem residents after 2 p.m., with proof of residency required upon exiting the garages. Participating museums and attractions include New England Pirate Museum, Salem Witch Museum, Salem Witch Village, and many other attractions and businesses that are listed on the city’s website at salemma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=166.
“Mayor’s Night Out has become a great tradition for Salem residents,” Mayor Dominick Pangallo said. “October is a busy time for our businesses, and this is their way to say thank you to our citizens, offering a day that lets our locals enjoy Halloween before the month officially kicks off.
“Salem’s business community has really embraced this program, and I am so grateful for their generous participation. I am excited to greet all the trick-or-treaters as mayor.”
The grand kickoff to the Halloween season in Salem though is set for Oct. 2, with the 28th Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade. The theme for this year’s parade is “Stronger Together — The Magic of Us,” which celebrates the power of unity and imagination.
The parade will follow the normal route from Shetland Park to Salem Common. However, this year the entire parade route will be lined with pedestrian safety barriers to keep the route clear. With the Salem Chamber expecting more than 15,000 spectators to attend the event, they are asking audience members to remain behind the barriers for their own safety and that of the parade participants.
Crossing points will be attended by parade volunteers from the local community. Those interested in volunteering can visit surveymonkey.com/r/ParadeVolunteers2025 to learn more and sign up.
This year’s parade marshalls are Omri Katz, Vinessa Shaw, Tobias Jelinek, Larry Bagby, and Jason Marsden, members of the cast from the film “Hocus Pocus,” along with their friends Borah Brewington Snaggletooth and Miz Diamond Wigfall. DJ Cheetah will be playing Halloween dance classics on Salem Common to keep the party going until 8:30 p.m. after the parade. For more information go to salem-chamber.org.
Starting this weekend on Sept. 27 and running Saturdays and Sundays through October, the downtown marketplace will be held at Salem Common and Derby Square, offering candles, jewelry, original artwork, and other artisanal items amidst a historic atmosphere. More information is available at hauntedhappeningsmarketplace.com.
On Oct. 4, the undead will gather at Salem Common at 11 a.m. for the 2025 Salem Zombie Walk. During the free, family-oriented event, people dressed as zombies will hobble throughout downtown starting at noon.
The Howl-o-ween Pet Parade, hosted by Salem Main Streets, will return to Derby Wharf on Oct. 11 at 11 a.m., featuring pets of all kinds dressed in Halloween costumes. In addition to the usual costumed fun and contests with prizes, this year’s parade will also serve as the official inauguration of Salem’s Dog Mayor, who will be elected the Tuesday prior.
Salem Main Streets asks for a small donation of $5 for Salem residents and $10 for nonresidents, with proceeds going directly to support the special community programs Salem Main Streets organizes throughout the year.
On Oct. 18, the annual “Devil’s Chase 6.66 Mile Run” will take place, with participants dressing up in primarily devil-themed costumes with horns and pitchforks to race 6.66 miles past a variety of Salem’s well-known landmarks. The Devil’s Chase will be held in conjunction with the Creepy Clown 3.33 Mile Road Race, in which runners will don creepy clown costumes to run a shorter distance through Salem’s historic streets. To sign up, visit runsignup.com/devilschasecreepyclown.
A full calendar of Haunted Happenings events can be found at hauntedhappenings.org/events.
Michael McHugh can be contacted at mmchugh@northofboston.com or at 781-799-5202