Downtown Salem Is North Shore's Sweet Spot For 20th Year

SALEM, MA — A record 37 ice sculptures will be lit up in the Salem night this weekend as part of the city's 20th annual Salem So Sweet festival.

Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce are presenting this year's festival that includes two nights of illuminated ice sculptures, live ice sculpting, chocolate treats available in dozens of local shops and local shopping and dining promotions.

An ice sculpture sneak peek night will take place Friday on the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall and Lappin Park. All sculptures will be lit through the downtown on Saturday.

Sculptures will be lit from 5 to 9 p.m. Ice Effects will be live sculpting on the Pedestrian Mall in front of East India Marine Hall on Saturday afternoon.

Those attending are invited to take part in the new Ice Sculptures Challenge using the Destination Salem app where they can win prizes. The app and more information on the contest can be found here.

Decadent chocolate will be available at 30 different locations downtown.

Visitors are also invited to take part in the Chocolate Hearts Challenge on the Destination Salem app. Each chocolate vendor will have a unique QR code that can be scanned with winners enjoying a special prize package.

Purchase is not required but is highly encouraged. An e-newsletter will be sent to all game players following the event so visitors know how to find these businesses all year round.

A full map of ice sculptures and chocolate locations can be found here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.