Oct 212013
 

3When the autumn weather, Turns leaves to flame

One hasn’t got time, For the waiting game

(lyrics from “September Song”)

In other words, Salem residents, North Shore neighbors and all our Haunted Happenings visitors, this Thursday is your last chance to harvest a bumper crop of goodies from the Salem Farmers Market. The season ends just ahead of Halloween and we are expecting a lively crowd from 3-7pm in Derby Sq.

What will you find? A variety of home-grown, home-made delights for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night snacks. But don’t take our word for it.

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Oct 092013
 

What exactly are you planning to do with last year’s costumes? Will you arrive again at cousin Jerry’s party as Bigfoot? And what about little Jack & Jill? Maybe they’ve outgrown “Toy Story.” If you’re like most people, as much as you don’t want to, you will end up tossing the costumes into the trash and buying new ones. But there is an economic and ecological alternative: swapping costumes. And you can do it Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week, right here in Salem.

The City of Salem Recreation Department will be accepting costumes for its 2nd Annual Salem Costume Swap at the Salem Senior Center. You may drop off gently used adult, kid or pet costumes Thursday from 8am to 7pm and Friday from 8am to 4pm. They will also accept Halloween accessories.

In return, you will receive one swap ticket to claim a new-to-you costume at the actual Salem Costume Swap on Saturday, October 12th at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem, 13 Hawthorrne Blvd.

No costume to swap? Still want to shop? No Problem! Stop by the Salem Boys & Girls Club that day from 10am to 1pm to purchase any costume for $5. Proceeds will benefit Salem youth programs.

Green Halloween®, a non-profCostum Swapit community initiative set up to create healthier and more sustainable holidays, began sponsoring National Costume Swap Day in October 2010. In partnership with Kiwi Magazine and Swap.com, parents, young adults and kids across America can come together to swap out once-used Halloween costumes and walk away with something new.

According to their website “Swapping half the costumes kids wear at Halloween would reduce annual landfill waste by 6500 tons, equal to the weight of 2500 midsize cars.”

So, make it an eeek-ological and eeek-onomic Halloween.

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Oct 062013
 

Biz Baz HatsBargains were there for the taking at the featured event this weekend, The Haunted Biz Baz. The Salem Chamber of Commerce produced a lively market atmosphere that motivated visitors and residents to move from one booth to another, charmed and delighted.

There were also plenty of activites for children during daytime hours such as the Salem Common Family Fun Day or The Big Draw at Peabody Essex Museum.

Adults faced their fears at night at The Terrifying Haunted House, Terror at the Village, and some terrifying Tales at the Witch House.

Biz Baz 10-5 PM2

Or you could just take a break from it all. The Salem Theatre Company is presenting “The Crucible,” while Gordon College/History Alive is offering “Goodnight, Captain White.”

Our Info Booth volunteers helped nearly 2000 people this weekend. Check our calendar for events during the week, and mark your date books to join us next weekend when we do it all over again.

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Oct 042013
 

BizBaz…. ZabZib….. Forward and backward, it’s an annual event that for many a visitor and resident alike is as much anticipated as the entire Haunted Happenings celebration. Where else can you walk through Salem Ma. to see booth after booth after booth of vendor after vendor after vendor?

Biz BazThis weekend, The Salem Chamber of Commerce will be hosting this Bizarre Bazaar (hence BizBaz) which showcases more than 80 vendors selling products that range from handmade jewelry and art, to uniquely Salem gifts. You can shop on Saturday from 10am to 8pm and on Sunday from 10am to 6pm .

Just walk along the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall and you can’t miss the sights and sounds of intriguing delights for children and adults.

This year’s event is also driven by a special appearance (full disclosure and product placement)  by Toyota that benefits Salem Main Streets. For each test-drive taken, Toyota’s Drive for a Cause campaign will make a donation to support Salem Main Streets.

Toyota CamryWe are not trying to sell cars, although we do strongly suggest test drives, but if you’ve been thinking about buying a new vehicle, this is your chance to get behind the wheel of a Camry, Rav4, Prius c, and Prius for an extended test drive experience. With all the wild things going on at BizBaz this has got to rank as a low or no-pressure environment.

The Toyota Let’s Go For A Drive event will take place on Hawthorne Boulevard (just south of the Hawthorne Hotel) on both Saturday and Sunday.

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Sep 152013
 

Salem MainStreets has always known that Haunted Happenings is an event worthy of national recognition. Now others not only know it, they are spreading the word. The American Bus Association (ABA) has announced that our month-long celebration is one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2014 

ABA’s Top 100 Events in North America is an annual compendium of the best events for group travel in the United States and Canada. Each spring, a committee of ABA-member motorcoach and tour operators selects the Top 100 Events for the subsequent year; the list is unveiled in September. Winners are chosen from hundreds of celebrations, festivals, fairs, commemorative events, and more that have been nominated by ABA members.

Bus“The attractiveness of Salem Haunted Happenings as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Salem,” said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news here is that Haunted Happenings has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when re-energizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives Salem, Massachusetts an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”

The Top 100 Events receive worldwide attention via the media–television, radio, and print–such as USA Today and CNN. ABA distributes some 10,000 copies of the Top 100 Events in North America magazine, featuring the winners, to all of its members and to thousands of travelers worldwide.

“Motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer,” Pantuso said. “That’s why Haunted Happenings is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay.”

And unlike most other “celebrations, festivals, fairs, commemorative events,” ours is neither a one nor two day event; it is 31 days & nights filled with music, art, history, entertainment, costumes and magical moments.

Check out the several spots Salem Ma has designated for motorcoaches. Then, women & men, leave the driving to them.

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