Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, and Salem is expecting one of its biggest nights ever, capping a Haunted Happenings season that draws about a million visitors. If you’re driving, plan now. If you can avoid driving, do.
Halloween day: Saturday, Oct. 31
- Downtown closes by noon. All downtown streets close to traffic no later than noon, and police can close them earlier if crowds build. That includes parts of Essex, Washington, Federal, Derby, Lafayette and Front streets, Hawthorne Boulevard and Washington Square.
- The MBTA garage locks at 6 p.m. The MBTA Salem station garage is closed to vehicles from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. No cars in, no cars out. Don’t park there if you need to leave during the evening.
- Drone show closure. Bridge Street closes from 9:15 to 11:30 p.m. for the drone show, which starts at 10:15 p.m.
The days before
Expect heavy traffic and likely closures on Friday, Oct. 30, and all through Halloween weekend. On regular October weekends, Essex Street is closed to through traffic with on-street parking banned from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., starting at noon on Fridays. Routes 114 and 1A will see major delays, with spillover onto Route 128.
Where to park
- Free weekend lot: 108 Jefferson Ave. is free on Saturdays and Sundays, about a five-minute walk to downtown. It fills early.
- Downtown garages: expect event pricing and long exit lines after dark. Arrive before closures start, and assume you won’t leave until crowds clear.
The better plan: train or ferry
The city strongly recommends the commuter rail (about 30 minutes from North Station, or about five minutes from downtown Beverly) or the Salem Ferry from Boston. If you’re coming from outside the city, book a garage near North Station in advance and ride in from there.
Parking in Boston for the trip? Reserve a guaranteed spot near North Station ahead of time with LAZgo at lazparking.com, then take the train to Salem.
Closures can change on short notice. Check the My Salem MA or Destination Salem apps on the day.
Sources: Destination Salem · Patch. Written by the Ecosystem Intelligence Desk.
