Community Corner
Packed Year Of Festivals Planned For Salem Streets In 2023
From Salem So Sweet in February, to Heritage Days in August, to Haunted Happenings, downtown will have plenty of parties.
SALEM, MA — There will not be a lot of downtime in downtown Salem this year with an array of parties, festivals, and, of course, perhaps the country's biggest month-long Halloween party, planned for the Witch City.
Destination Salem — the city's official tourism office — released its calendar of events on Friday beginning with next week's Comedy & Spirits Festival and concluding with Holiday Happenings.
This year's schedule includes a new Friday kickoff party for next month's 21st annual Salem So Sweet event in February, the Salem Celebrates the 4th music and fireworks show at Derby Wharf, the Preservation in a Changing Climate conference, and the return of the Salem Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival.
Find out what's happening in Salemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Haunted Happenings, which Destination Salem calls the "internationally renowned celebration of Halloween and fall in New England," is set for Oct. 1 through Oct. 31.
"Salem offers rich and diverse programming throughout the year," Destination Salem Executive Director Kate Fox said in the release. "Whether you want to research genealogy, celebrate the arts, dive into a documentary film, or chill out at the Ice Cream Bowl, there is something for all ages and interests."
Find out what's happening in Salemfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Salem Comedy & Spirits Festival starts Thursday and runs through Jan. 28.
Salem So Sweet's weekend of chocolate and ice celebration is from Feb. 10 through 12.
The 16th Salem Film Festival is from March 23 through April 2.
Salem Ancestry Days are from April 21 through April 24.
The Anniversary of the First Muster of the National Guard is April 22.
The Salem Arts Festival is from June 2 through June 4.
Salem Farmers' Market returns to Derby Square for 2023 from June 8 through Oct. 12.
The North Shore Pride Parade and Festival is on June 24.
Salem Heritage Days run from Aug. 7 through Aug. 13.
The Preservation in a Changing Climate conference is on Sept. 21.
The Salem Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival is on Sept. 23 and Sept. 24.
Salem Haunted Happenings is from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31.
Salem Holiday Happenings is from Nov. 24 through Jan. 1, 2024.
More details from Destination Salem 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.)
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