Salem's 2021 Halloween Resurrection Kicks Off With Grand Parade

SALEM, MA — The first few hints of darkness breathed a whole new life into a Salem Halloween experience enjoying a true resurrection this October.

The Haunted Happenings Grand Parade — a downtown staple for the past quarter-century — was back on Thursday night as the buzz built from behind each mask, costume-caked face and gleefully gory display as part of this year's "Inside Out and Upside Down" theme that turned the Pedestrian Mall into a monster mash of delight.

A year after the parade — and virtually every other official municipal Halloween event — was canceled out of coronavirus concerns, the Witch City re-staked its claim as the holiday's hometown with the Salem Chamber of Commerce-presented parade that has become the unofficial kickoff of the spooky season.

"We always wanted to do this," said Joe Orlando, in full top hat and tails, as he and his wife, Nicole, stood next to a hearse, a grim reaper and a body in the back showing graphic evidence of an untimely demise. "It's a dream come true to be part of the city of Salem's Halloween parade.

"That's the pinnacle of horror life."

The Orlandos’ holiday tradition of putting on a light display for charity at their Billerica home continued last year — with Joe saying it was the busiest year ever since COVID-19 guidelines kept visitors socially distanced in their cars — but they both confirmed they were very much looking forward to a much more interactive Halloween in 2021.

"We've always been the Halloween guys," said Nicole Orlando, who has been hosting the Billerica display since 2010. "To see all the smiles. That's what it's all about."

Down the cobblestone way, Dorcas Goode — a night tour guide using the pseudonym of the youngest person accused during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 — was in full character as she took reservations throughout the day for that evening's ghost march.

"We had tours going on last year although everything was very limited," said Goode, a 17-year veteran of the night tours after previous stops at the Witch House, Witch History Museum, House of the Seven Gables and a trolley tour. "They cut our capacity way, way down. It made things a little bit complex. But we've stood the test of time for a reason and we're still going strong."

Not everything in Salem is completely back to its normally abnormal October self. There is an indoor mask order to enter all businesses and those attending large events of 100 or more guests must present a negative coronavirus test upon entry regardless of vaccination status.

Salem is offering free rapid tests right off Essex Street at the Peabody Essex Museum through Curative — the company that ran the mass vaccination site at the Danvers DoubleTree Hotel this past winter and spring.

And with the invasion of tourists from throughout the region and the country, there come a few folks not so eager to play by all the rules.

At the Old Main Street Pub, a bartender politely explained the mask ordinance to a succession of customers who "forgot" their masks upon entry — reminding them they had to be worn while walking through the restaurant but could be removed while seated — with several other dining destinations sporting different signage versions of the plea to respect the staff's and city's mask request so everyone can enjoy a successful holiday season.

"To be expected, it's been really busy," Goode said. "But it's been busy through the whole summer. You are going to have a lot of that overflow from (not having it) last year. But I think a lot of the owners are really excited for that."

The Beverly High School band was one of many musical acts that filled the oncoming night with banging drums and sounds of glee as manufactured smoke shrouded corners of Essex Street about 6:30 p.m. Before 7, revelers seemed to creep out of every crevice of downtown to ring in a new year that felt a lot more like festive old times.

"Last year was still good," Goode said. "But this year will be better. All of the following Octobers will probably be busier than the last.

"That was the trend, anyway, for at least the past decade."

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(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.)