Halloween Weekend: Ghost Stories and Zombies

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All Hallows Eve is almost upon us, and this weekend may be your last chance to indulge in all of the thrills and chills that the season has to offer. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a way to embrace the Halloween spirit, there are a couple of events this weekend that are sure to send shivers down your spine.

First, if you have always loved the idea of sitting in an old cottage listening to creepy tales by candlelight or sitting outside by a campfire sharing your local ghost stories, Pioneer’s Village in Salem may have exactly what you’re looking for. This is because Pioneer’s Village is hosting the last night (at least for this year) of their annual Dark of Night event on Saturday (October 29, 2016) with stories starting at 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 P.M. This event will feature a group of local authors and storytellers that will share the frightening tales they have written or discovered while you sit by the candlelight in an exact replica of the type of thatch-roofed cottage you might have seen in 1630. For more information on Dark of Night at Pioneer Village and/or to order tickets for the event, please visit the Salem Witch House website or e-mail info@pioneervillagesalem.org.

Secondly, if you’re a huge fan of Shakespeare and a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, there’s a show at the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) Plaza Black Box Theatre on Tremont Street in Boston that you won’t want to miss. This is because the Anthem Theatre Company is performing Twelfth Night of the Living Dead every night from now until November 5, 2016. This show will take Shakespeare’s famous play, Twelfth Night, and as you might expect, add the only thing that really makes almost every literary work better: Zombies. For more information on Twelfth Night of the Living Dead and/or to order tickets, please visit the Anthem Theatre Company website.

Photo credit: JeepersMedia via VisualHunt.com / CC BY

Haunted Happenings: The Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre

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One of my favorite places to go in Salem, especially during the Halloween season, is the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre. This theatre, which was formerly known as the Griffin Theatre during the off season and the Witch Cottage during Haunted Happenings, not only features a number of comedy acts, children’s programs, plays, and other performances during the year but also features some of the most impressive Halloween fare that you will find anywhere. In fact, the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre’s main attraction during the month of the October, the Witchcraft & Ghost Experience, is a theatrical performance that will dazzle you with special effects and possibly scare the ever living daylights out of you as you learn about the Salem Witch Trials and the legends that have existed in the Salem area for quite some time. Best of all, the Witchcraft & Ghost Experience is only one of the amazing pieces of entertainment that the theatre has to offer, and you may be able to enjoy one of the theatre’s local walking tours, ale tastings, magic shows, trolley tours, or their latest attraction, the Lost Museum as well. For more information on everything that the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre has to offer and/or to purchase tickets for a specific event, please visit the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre website.

Please Note: One of the scariest things about the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre can be the lines on a Saturday. However, you can completely eliminate the unpleasantness of waiting in line to purchase tickets by purchasing your tickets online. In fact, if you would like to avoid lines all together, you can purchase a VIP Pass online that will let you avoid the ticket purchasing line, skip the line to get in, receive a Gallows Hill T-shirt, and get a free drink. If the VIP Pass is a little out of your price range though, you can always head to the theatre on a weekday when the crowds are much less frightening.

Photo via VisualHunt

The Salem Open Market 2016

Essex Street Pedestrian Mall in Salem, MA near the Peabody-Essex Museum
Did you miss the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair in Salem last week? Are you looking for another way to mix your love of Halloween with your love of shopping? Well, if you did miss the Biz Baz (A.K.A. the Bizarre Bazaar) and you’re looking for a place where you can find the ambience of the season and check out a whole bunch of cool stuff, there’s nothing to fear. Salem has you covered. In fact, the Salem Open Market will open for business on Essex Street and Derby Square this weekend. This street fair, which will be open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. until Halloween, will feature dozens and dozens of artists, artisans, crafters, designers, and other vendors who will be happy to show you everything from artwork to zombie-themed t-shirts (and all of the items in between.) Best of all, if you’re not really into shopping but you have a spouse or child who is, you can always bring them to the Open Market and then check out all of the tours and events that are happening throughout Salem. For more information on the Salem Open Market, please visit the New England Open Markets website.

Photo credit: HBarrison via Visual hunt / CC BY-SA

Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair 2016

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It’s almost that time of year again. One of my favorite times of year (and no, it’s not Christmas.) It’s Halloween, and if you’re looking for a way to get into the spirit of the season, there’s no better place than the Witch City. In fact, it just so happens that the annual Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair is scheduled to take place in Salem this Saturday and Sunday (October 8th and 9th, 2016) from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. each day. This fair, which was originally known as the Bizarre Bazaar (and is still known as such by many of the locals), will give you the opportunity to peruse the wares of over 70 vendors selling art, crafts, jewelry, and a whole lot more. Best of all, if you’re accompanied by someone who isn’t really into shopping (a child or spouse perhaps), there’s no need to worry because there are always a number of street musicians and other performers who are certain to keep your friends and family entertained. For more information on the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair, which is free (until you decide to buy everything in sight) and open to everyone, please visit the Salem Chamber of Commerce website or the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair Facebook page.

Photo credit: GWP Photography via Foter.com / CC BY