The ancient Celts of Scotland and Ireland were the first to celebrate Halloween on the eve of All Hallows’ Day, and centuries later, in the 19th century, it came to America along with millions of immigrants from the British Isles. The holiday is based on a legend about how, on the eve of All Saints’ Day, the border between worlds is erased and the souls of the dead return to their homes to collect donations in the form of food and sweets. Along with them, all sorts of evil spirits come to earth, which can be scared away by the light of jack-o’-lanterns, and to prevent angry spirits from causing mischief, people need to put on masquerade costumes of evil spirits and remain unnoticed.
Halloween is celebrated in many countries, but it is in America that it has become the most favorite holiday after Christmas and has turned into a fun carnival that the whole country celebrates. And the capital of Halloween is Salem, one of the oldest cities in New England, where in 1692 the harsh Puritans declared a “witch hunt” that ended with the burning of 15 women. Thanks to Hollywood, the city became popular with tourists in the 1990s, and now it is the city of witches and the capital of Halloween.
The fun in Salem lasts all October: the Haunted Happenings festival begins on October 1st and ends on October 31st, All Saints’ Day. Those who like to tickle their nerves can visit the Festival of the Undead, the Witch Museum and haunted houses, visit a fortune teller or attend a seance in the Museum of Witchcraft. Closer to the holiday, night tours begin to the witchcraft places of the city, the house of the judge who started the trial against witches and master classes in potions, masquerades, concerts and costume processions. Local residents decorate their houses and take out outfits from their chests in advance, but I would like to talk about the architecture separately, because the city has many perfectly preserved houses of the 17th century, where tours are conducted for adults and children.
During the holidays, more than 250 thousand tourists come to the city; the main street, Essex Street, is in full swing day and night: on the shelves you can see everything – from carnival costumes to silver bells on a hat; excursions dedicated to catching ghosts are also held here and invites to the rooms of fear. Halloween is a family holiday, dozens of excursions and games are organized for children, and everyone from young to old will be in costume at the parade, including dogs.
It’s easy to join in this holiday fun: Salem is located 20 kilometers from Boston, from where, on the occasion of the holidays, trains run twice as often. The town is small, there are 10 times more tourists than residents, so
Hotel spaces run out a month in advance, and the roads will be closed on the 31st, so it’s better to arrive a day in advance. For the same reason, you need to sign up for tours and excursions in advance. Answers to all questions about the Salem Festival, Halloween celebrations and the schedule of all events can be found on the official website of the festival.
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Author: Olga Perepelitsa
