Salem’s 29th annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 1, kicking off a monthlong Halloween festival that draws over 1.2 million visitors to the city, according to the Salem Chamber of Commerce. The parade begins at Shetland Park at 27 Congress Street and winds through downtown to the Salem Common, wrapping up around 8:00 p.m. This year’s march aligns with Salem 400+, marking the quadricentennial of the city’s settlement by English colonist Roger Conant in 1626.
Parade Route and Traffic Restrictions
City officials and the Salem Chamber of Commerce have implemented strict street closures and crowd management protocols to handle the influx of spectators. Police begin closing roads along the parade route at 4:00 p.m. Metal pedestrian safety barriers along the route lock down at 6:15 p.m., though a designated crossing remains open at the intersection of Front Street and Washington Street. Tourism officials and transit operators strongly urge visitors to leave cars at home, noting that downtown Salem holds only about 4,000 public parking spots and enforces strict vehicle bans around municipal garages on event nights.
Old-School Halloween Theme and Quadricentennial Milestone
Organizers built this year’s parade around an “Old-School Halloween” theme, exploring the evolution of the holiday from ancient Celtic Samhain traditions to ‘90s Halloween movies. The procession features thousands of local students from kindergarten through college, alongside local businesses, and non-profits. Aubry Bracco, a former local journalist and winner of Survivor season 50, serves as this year’s grand marshal. The celebration coincides with the wider Salem 400+ commemoration, which marks 400 years since Roger Conant established a settlement on land historically inhabited by the Indigenous Naumkeag people.
Transit Options and Economic Impact
Tourism serves as Salem’s primary economic engine, generating more than $140 million in local expenditures annually and supporting hundreds of small businesses, per Destination Salem. To combat the severe traffic congestion that routinely strains municipal infrastructure, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Keolis have expanded weekend commuter rail service on the Newburyport/Rockport Line. Keolis offers a $10 unlimited weekend pass for travelers heading from Boston’s North Station. “Avoid the stress of driving and parking by taking the train to Salem this October,” said John Killeen, Keolis chief executive and general manager, in a statement.
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