Thousands head to Salem for Halloween, undeterred by nearby brush fires
SALEM - Thousands of people will descend upon Salem for Halloween on Thursday, and despite the slight smell of smoke in the air from nearby brush fires, authorities say it is a safe place to celebrate the spooky holiday.
Halloween in Salem
Halloween is a historic tradition in the city, which was the site of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Now people from across the world travel to celebrate here.
"I wanted to dress up and be a witch," says Linda Valdez from New Mexico.
"I'm very excited because we're also going to the witch museum later," says Jade Barnes. Jade and her family flew all the way from Texas to celebrate, and not on a broomstick.
The destination experienced record-breaking crowds in 2023, and will likely see around one million visitors by the end of 2024. Salem's Mayor Dominic Pangallo urged tourists to take public transit to the city in the hope of relieving some of the traffic headaches for nearby towns.
"If you are planning to come to Salem come by train, come by ferry," he said.
Some residents and businesses don't mind the big crowds.
"I love the customers. I love the atmosphere. I love the business. We are busting our butts, working hard," says Holly Garcia, an employee at Fountain Place Restaurant.
Garcia has a soft spot for people visiting her haunted hometown.
"You gotta at least experience it once in your life," says Garcia.
Brush fires under control for Halloween
Over 100 acres in Salem have been burned due to brush fires over the past week. Firefighters said that they currently have a handle on the hotspots and that the fires are under control for now. Town officials are encouraging people to still come to the city to celebrate, wearing their favorite costumes.
Temperatures are expected to reach nearly 80 degrees on Thursday and firefighters will continue to monitor the nearby brush fires.
