Salem To Restrict Pedestrian Mall Amid 'Super Frustrating' Crowds

SALEM, MA —Despite repeated requests for potential visitors to stay away from the city amid the coronavirus pandemic this year, the crowds keep coming to Salem in hopes of getting a little taste of Halloween in the holiday's unofficial hometown.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll once again urged those considering a trip to Salem in October to wait until next year — or, at least, next month — as she announced restricted access to the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall starting this weekend.

The city will close the Peabody Essex Museum entrance to the mall and put barricades in place to help control crowds that she said become stagnant and don't allow for social distancing. She added in a news conference Friday morning that there will be greater enforcement of the limit on lines waiting to get into restaurants.

"We here in Salem are trying really hard to cut down on the number of visitors who are here in our community," Driscoll said. "That's not ordinarily what we want to do in October. But this is certainly not a normal October."

She said many of the visitors are younger and not heeding the city's request to have lodging booked, tickets to attractions purchased and restaurant reservations made before coming to Salem.

"It's super frustrating," she said. "The individuals coming to Salem this year, I would say anecdotally, it's a younger crowd. A lot of folks in their 20s and 30s. There is a little bit of stir crazy, a lot of wanderlust, and not a lot of planning going on.

"They are clearly not getting the message ... this isn't the year to come."

Other new restrictions include prohibiting tents on the mall and advising all restaurants to only seat those who have advance reservations on the weekend.

Driscoll also warned against having indoor parties or gatherings of any kind not only this Halloween, but also the rest of the holiday season.

"No gatherings, no costume parties," she said. "This isn't the year to be (getting together) indoors. Then we'll pivot to Thanksgiving. This is the year to have a Zoom Thanksgiving, a Zoom Christmas holiday, with family members as well. That is where we are as a community, and as a country as well."

Driscoll said that while the city has seen a coronavirus "uptick" in cases over the past several weeks, so far those clusters have not been tied to the downtown crowds. She cited Salem workers at the Essex County Jail in Middleton, as well as small outbreaks connected to a childcare facility, eldercare facility, a kitchen worker at a restaurant, Uber driver, and mostly the virus spreading through a family once one person is infected.

"So far that trend has not been tied to visitors," she said. "It's been due to other instances that happen in and around our community. But that doesn't mean (visitor spread) will not be the case.

"We don't want to see October happen and then see a spike in our community."

Salem has started a "Turn Back Now" campaign to convince those without prearranged plans to stay away from the city for the next two weeks.

If you do not have reservations, please postpone your Oct. visit to #SalemMA. Businesses have very limited capacity & most events have been cancelled. For the safety of residents, workers, & visitors, @cityofsalemma asks that you postpone your visit. https://t.co/rGNvU7VjbS pic.twitter.com/tPBLHPJdzT
— Salem Haunted Happenings (@HauntdHappnings) October 16, 2020

Driscoll acknowledged the impact on businesses that telling visitors to come back some other time will have during what is typically the most profitable month of the year.

"If (the way) your business is operating is causing a public health risk. that's where I draw the line," she said.

The latest state report had Salem at 7.0 cases per 100,000 residents. A community that hits 8.0 residents per 100,000 is considered a "hot spot" community with virus spread and must pull back from several state eased restrictions on business capacity and public gatherings. The Salem Board of Health decided two weeks ago to keep Salem in step one of phase 3 of the reopening — keeping restaurant table party limits to six and maintaining other business restrictions.

Driscoll said other Halloween measures — including early closings and reduced capacity at parking lots — will be announced ahead of next weekend.

"Obviously, before COVID we were expecting a banner year and a banner day on Halloween," she said. "None of that can happen.

"We can't allow these sorts of crowds to continue."

More Patch Salem Halloween Coverage: Salem Coronavirus Numbers On Troubling Trend

Message To Salem Halloween Visitors: Maybe Wait Until Next Year

Salem To Keep Strict Coronavirus Restrictions Through Halloween

State Police Airwing Asked To Monitor Salem Halloween Crowds