Salem Halloween 2023: Residents' Night Out With Free 'Hocus Pocus' Party On The Common

SALEM, MA — Salem residents will have their one big day (and night) to enjoy the Halloween season in their own city on Friday with the annual "Mayor's Night Out" that provides free museum admission, downtown parking, children's trick-or-treating and business discounts, as well as a free screening of "Hocus Pocus" in the movie's 30th anniversary year on Friday.

Parking will be free with proof of residency in the Museum Place Mall Garage and South Harbor Garage after 2 p.m. with museums free to Salem residents starting at 3 p.m.

Proof of residence includes a photo I.D. or a student I.D., bus pass, or Salem Public Library identification card.

"Mayor's Night Out has become a great tradition for Salem residents," Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo said. "October is a busy time for our businesses, and this is their way to say thank you to our citizens, offering a day that lets our locals enjoy Halloween.

"Salem's business community has really embraced this program and I am pleased to announce that we have more participants than we have ever had. I am excited to greet all the trick-or-treaters for the first time as mayor."

Pangallo credited Kathleen Spagnolo from Timeless Life Treasures for organizing almost all of the businesses on Pickering Wharft to participate this year.

The Salem law firm of Mazow | McCullough, PC will be distributing safety flasher lights to children for Halloween trick-or-treating, Broad Smiles Pediatric Dentistry will be giving out toothbrushes, and the Creative Collective is bringing along their signature photo backdrops and candy, along with some costumed surprises.

A free screening of the Salem-filmed movie "Hocus Pocus" is set for sundown (about 7 p.m.) on the Salem Common through the Creative Collective as part of Disney+'s 30th anniversary of the cult classic film.

Participating museums and attractions include the New England Pirate Museum (3 to 5 p.m.), Peabody Essex Museum n(10 a.m, 8 p.m., always free for Salem residents), Salem Wax Museum (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), Salem Witch Museum (open until 10 p.m., always free for Salem residents), Witch Dungeon Museum (3 to 5 p.m.), Witch History Museum (3 to 5 p.m.).

A list of business discounts and those participating in the trick-or-treat can be found here.

There will be music on Artist's Row beginning at 7 p.m.

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