On Oct. 17, Salem wants to fill Derby Wharf with witch hats. It’s a world record attempt, and a drone photo will try to capture hundreds, maybe thousands, of them. The stunt is part of the Massachusetts city’s 400th anniversary celebration, and this year that milestone lands right in the middle of Halloween season.
Haunted Happenings started in 1982 as a weekend festival. Now it fills all of October with ghost tours, psychic readings, costume balls and haunted harbor cruises. This year, you’ll get four centuries of history along with the costumes.
Solo Travelers Are Driving the Search Surge
Searches for Salem from solo U.S. travelers are up 50.2% from last year, according to Booking.com.
International searches climbed 44.6%. U.S. travelers overall are up 33.1%.
You won’t have the city to yourself, though. Haunted Happenings draws more than 1 million visitors from around the world.
Salem’s 400th Goes Beyond the Witch Trials
Salem dates its founding to 1626. The city’s Salem 400+ program covers far more than the 1692 witch trials.
It also recognizes Naumkeag, the Indigenous community that thrived here long before 1626. The name means “fishing place.”
Booking.com’s 2026 travel trends survey found that 59% of U.S. solo travelers consider iconic landmarks and historic sites when choosing where to go on their own.
If you want the history up close, the Peabody Essex Museum runs ongoing Salem history exhibitions. They include The Salem Witch Trials 1692 and a reinstallation of East India Marine Hall, the museum’s original exhibition building. Admission is free on Monday, Oct. 12, for Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
What Else Is on the Calendar This Month
The witch hat gathering isn’t the only date left on the Haunted Happenings calendar. Here’s what’s still ahead before Halloween, which falls on a Saturday this year.
- Salem Night Faire: The Black Veil sets up vendors, ghost stories, hot cider and food trucks at Pioneer Village on Oct. 16, 17, 23 and 24, from 5 to 10 p.m.
- Haunted Speakeasy: Hamilton Hall, which is 221 years old, hosts a 1920s Jazz Age ball on Oct. 24 with live music, burlesque, cocktails and dancing.
- Halloween night drone show: At 10 p.m. on Oct. 31, 400 drones will fly over the North River, once called the Naumkeag River, to close out Haunted Happenings.
Planning to go? Book tours and attraction tickets early, especially for weekends, and take the train or ferry if you can. Then start your visit at the visitor center at 245 Derby Street.