Less than 24 Hours Before Salem Haunted Happenings Begins!

Tomorrow evening children, high school bands and organizations from all over the city of Salem, Massachusetts will gather to kick off the 28th Annual Salem Haunted Happenings in a style that no other city can do.

This year's theme is "A Night at the Museum" for the parade wass created by the Salem Chamber of Commerce. Streets will begin to fill in the early evening hours with revelers. During this year's parade there is an added treat of coming early to visit the now popular Salem Main Streets Farmer's Market near Old Town Hall.

The parade starts at the Shetland Office park and ends on Salem Common near the Hawthorne Hotel. Watch the Official City website at HauntedHappenings.org or Salem.com for street closings and where to park.

Click here for street closure and parking ban information.

Click here for a parking map of downtown Salem.

For the complete calendar of events in October, visit HauntedHappenings.org or email us at info@hauntedhappenings.org and we would be happy to send you a printed brochure. The brochures are also available at the regional Simon malls, including North Shore Mall (Peabody), Liberty Tree Mall (Danvers), Square One Mall (Saugus), and Burlington Mall.

Happy Haunted Happenings, everyone! We hope you can join us for this festive month of fall, New England, and quintessential Salem. For more information about the Parade call the Salem Chamber of Commerce or Destination Salem.

Many thanks to Kishgraphics for use of the photographs above.

Reality Bites at the Hawthorne Hotel

This just in from the historic Hawthorne Hotel...

WE ARE GIVING REALITY SHOWS A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY!

The Hawthorne Hotel presents the 2009 Halloween Costume Ball! “Reality Bites” is sure to be another rousing success. The party will be held on October 31 from 8pm-12midnight (doors open at 7:30pm).

The Hawthorne Hotel will once again present the greatest Halloween party in Salem! Picture your favorite television reality shows with just a bit of a twist. Bridezilla, Hell’s Kitchen, Biggest Loser and others reflecting the fun that only the Hawthorne Hotel can provide--with three floors of non-stop entertainment, fun, and fabulous food! The ticket price of $90pp includes food, and live entertainment. Guests will also get a limited edition t-shirt, and photo. That’s not all! Our costume contest has $1500 in cash prizes!

Tickets are selling fast! (Must be 21 years or older with proper ID at the door.) Get them online at http://www.ticketweb.com/ or call us at 978-744-4080 for more information. Hurry! Before they are all gone!

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The Hawthorne Hotel was built by the residents of Salem in 1925. Over one thousand people in the area purchased stock in order to create a “modern” hotel. Now, designated a “Historic Hotel of America,” the Hawthorne provides every amenity a “modern” traveler could desire and continues to welcome thousands of visitors every year. The hotel is 15 miles north of Boston and easily accessible from many major routes. Historic Hotels of America is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Historic Hotels has identified 191 hotels that have faithfully maintained their historic integrity, architecture and ambiance. To be selected for this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old, listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or recognized as having historic significance.

Dancing Nancy Band to Headline Halloween Night

We are going to celebrate the close of the 28th Salem Haunted Happenings with dancing! Salem has partnered with Radio 92.9 to provide revelers with a closing concert that will feature The Dancing Nancy Band.

There will be an opening act, too, and we will provide details on that act when we have them.

The concert will be held on a stage that will be erected at the top of Washington Street at Lynde Street. Fireworks will light up the sky above the North River at 10:45 PM, signalling the end of the 28th Annual Salem Haunted Happenings.

The Dancing Nancy Band hails from Fall River, Massachusetts. Formed in 2002, Dancing Nancy is a Dave Matthews Tribute Band, and they play covers of other popular songs from the 1980s and 1990s.

This new "Main Stage" will compliment the other live music in Salem on Halloween night, including a DJ on Salem Common, the Undercover Band on Front Street, and a DJ on Derby Street at the Salem Wax Museum. The musical performances around town will end at 10:00 PM, allowing everyone to head over to Washington Street for the finale concert.

If you're planning to come to Salem for Halloween night, plan to take public transportation. Traffic will be challenging, as will parking. The streets in downtown Salem will be closed to vehicular traffic (to make way for all of the pedestrian traffic!!) in the afternoon.

The Halloween night street festivities will conclude after the fireworks at 11:00 PM - so plan to come in early, have a great time, and head out at 11:00. (Unless you are inside a private party like the Hawthorne Hotel's Reality Bites Ball or another indoor ticketed event.) And don't forget your dancing shoes!