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The kickoff parade for Salem's month-long Haunted Happenings celebration, hosted by the Salem Chamber of Commerce. Themed floats, marching bands, and costumed crowds along a downtown route. Draws tens of thousands to the start of Salem's October festival season.
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Salem Haunted Happenings 2026: What's On, When, and How to Plan Your October
Salem spends all of October as Halloween's unofficial capital. Haunted Happenings 2026 runs October 1-31, anchored at Salem Common, with the Grand Parade on Friday, October 2. Here's how to plan a visit — and what you'll want to confirm with the organizers before you go.
Sep 4, 2026
Written about this eventSalem Haunted Happenings 2026: The Complete October Guide
Salem's Halloween season is a full month, not a weekend. Here's how Haunted Happenings 2026 is structured and when to go if you want to actually move around.
Sep 4, 2026
Porchfest in New England: What It Is and Where to Find One
A porchfest is a free, one-day music festival where the stages are people's front porches — no gate, no ticket, no fenced venue. Here is how the format works, what to bring, where the idea came from, and every porchfest still ahead on our Massachusetts calendar this season.
Sep 12, 2026