Now that the Haunted Happenings crowds have passed, our local businesses are looking forward to seeing more of their neighbors and regulars. From Election Day on Nov. 7 through Tuesday, Nov. 14, Salem Main Streets will be giving one lucky winner some extra parking money via the City’s Passport parking app as a thank you for supporting our local businesses! Here’s all you have to do:

– Take a picture of yourself, a storeowner, or an item you are purchasing at a downtown shop or service (dentist, salon, etc.) this week. Service and retail only, no restaurants for this challenge!
– Post the picture in the Facebook event here or on Instagram with the tag #localslovenovember

That’s it! Get out there and show us why you love November!

And if you needed a little reminder about why our local businesses love being here….

Salem Retail Spotlight- Pedestrian Mall FINAL from Salem Main Streets on Vimeo.

If you’re a local, you know that Salem enjoys FIVE seasons – winter, spring, summer, fall, and October. Don’t let horror stories keep you away from the downtown! Contrary to popular belief, there are many ways for residents to continue enjoying your city throughout the month of October, even after the Grand Parade and Mayor’s Night Out. Here are a few of the many ways:

• (Trick or) Treat Yourself Tuesdays – Believe it or not, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings are notoriously quiet downtown! The tourists don’t stick around, the locals are afraid it’s going to be too busy… and as a result, the restaurants have empty nights equivalent to the middle of winter. To show some love, we’ve started (Trick or) Treat Yourself Tuesdays – post a picture of yourself (or your meal) at a local eatery any Tuesday this month in our FB event or on Instagram with the hashtag #treatyourselfsalem. We will pick a winner each week. The prize is a roll of quarters – to be used for parking, for the arcades at Bit Bar Salem, for the skeeball at Notch Brewing, as a musical instrument, whatever floats your boat.

• Wicked Wednesdays – New for 2017, Salem Haunted Happenings include Wicked Wednesdays that will be chock full of programming for kids (specifically with locals in mind!). Bring the family for mid-week entertainment, musicians, family-friendly walking tours, and interactive events geared for the 12 and under crowd. For more information, check out – https://hauntedhappenings.org/wickedwednesdays

• Final Salem Farmers’ Market – October 12th – THIS THURSDAY! It’s hard to believe, but the season is already wrapping up. Don’t miss your last chance to grab all your favorite local produce and products!!  Then save the date for our Salem Winter Market on Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, locations TBD.

• Wicked Bikes – Looking to get around this month with ease and style? Two wheels are often faster than four during October. The City’s Zagster bike share program has expanded for the month and has some spook-tacular contests going on to boot!

• Parking – If biking’s not your style, there are still lots of parking options downtown specifically for locals.

• Get Thru October  – If you’re a tweeter, don’t forget to follow @GetThruOctober for the latest updates on traffic, parking, and road closings.

• Ask Me, I’m Local – be an ambassador!  Whether you volunteer for the Information Booth, sport one of those fantastic “Ask Me, I’m Local” pins, or just take pity on the poor confused couple on the corner by helping them turn their map right-side up… you’ll get a lot more satisfaction out of October if you take a little time to help our visitors. Many of our Info Booth volunteers have told us how much they love October in Salem since they’ve become ambassadors – it challenges you to know your city better, meet new people, and learn a little more about the world outside of Salem in the bargain.

October comes but once a year, don’t forget to take time to celebrate!