Salem not letting frightening forecast dampen spirits ahead of Halloween
It's go-time for the ghouls and goblins! Witches' cauldrons are bubbling, the beasts are howling, and the city of Salem is counting down 'til Halloween.
"It is Super Bowl week! We're a town of 44,000 people. We get 1.2 million visitors in the month of October," said Joyce Maroney, who volunteers with Salem Main Streets.
The weekend before is always the busiest - especially when the weather's a treat.
"We're glad that the weather is nice here today. Nice and crisp and cool and fall," said Sarah Cox.
The WBZ weather team is keeping a close eye on the chance for some wet weather next week, which could affect turnout.
"Visitation is very weather dependent. We'll see numbers drop down if the weather turns inclement. We're seeing more travel on weekdays. We had higher visitation in September. So, I think people are spreading out their visits a bit more, staying a bit longer," explained Mayor Dominick Pangallo.
For the creepy characters and vendors who set up shop this season, a frightening forecast could call for some Halloween hooky. "It's based on the weather; whether I want to show up or not!" one street vendor joked.
But for true fright fans, there's nothing scary about a little New England weather. Halloween comes but once a year!
"We were coming no matter what the weather was. We came prepared, hats, gloves, umbrellas," said Diana Hays.
Salem tour industry
Over the past 20 years, the Salem tour industry has exploded; from around 25 licenses, to now closer to 200! Many still step off rain or shine.
"The history. We've been through a few cemetery tours. It's amazing. The old buildings. It's just really interesting," said Meredith Parker.
The best advice for visitors: take public transportation. Download the Destination Salem app and turn on notifications for updates on road closures, parking garages, or weather impacts.
"We have a lot of great destinations here that aren't solely dependent on being outside. The Peabody Essex Museum, lots of museum stops, shopping," Maroney added.
"Even if the weather is not great, there's still great reasons to visit Salem," Mayor Pangallo said.