SURVIVING HALLOWEEN IN SALEM MA (AUTUMN 2025)


 


Civic authorities in Salem heaved a collective sigh of relief as Halloween drew to a close in a city famed for its ‘Haunted Happenings’. The event brings in thousands of visitors, but for many residents is not their favourite time of the year.

Most people in Devon who think of Salem will know it as ‘The Witch City’ rather than as a 17th century New England community founded in 1626 by East Budleigh’s Roger Conant.

Thanks to the reputation that it gained following the witch trials of 1692-93, tourism has become a $100 million annual business in Salem. October sees a peak in the number of tourists buying witchcraft supplies, wearing costumes and touring local haunts, and this year has been no different.

In recent times, tourism has been an occasional source of debate in the city, with some residents arguing that Salem should downplay witch tourism and market itself as a more upscale cultural center.

In 2005, the conflict came to a head over plans by the cable television network TV Land to erect a bronze statue of Elizabeth Montgomery, who played the comic witch ‘Samantha’ in the 1960s series Bewitched.

Many felt the statue was good fun and appropriate for a city that promotes itself as ‘The Witch City’, and contains a street named ‘Witch Way’. Others objected to the use of public property for what was transparently commercial promotion.

Salem’s Mayor Dominick Pangallo admits that Halloween is not everyone’s favourite event. ‘It certainly can be a frustrating time for residents to get the kids to school or get to the grocery store,’ he told local newspaper Patch. ‘I know it from living here, so there is no way to suggest that it's not a challenging time for those of us who are trying to live our daily lives.’

‘But the benefit every year is that we are welcoming visitors from around the world to learn about the city and to share our stories,’ explained the Mayor. ‘We who live here love Salem, and we are fortunate to call the city our home. There are also the shops and restaurants that thrive because of this, which you wouldn't see in other communities the size of Salem. It's because of the visitor economy that we get to enjoy those all year round.’

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