Merry Creepmas from Blackcraft Salem

Blackcraft in Salem is one part Goth gift shop, one part coffee house, and one part haunted attraction. I caught wind that Krampus would be there and was bringing along some seasonal specialty drinks so we just had to visit for a dose of Creepmas.

 

 

 

 Blackcraft has been in Salem for about three years and despite me always seeing stuff about them on social media, I've never visited.

 

They have the distinction of having the largest witch statue in town, which you can see hanging from the ceiling here. The store is huge and there's a lot of fun stuff to see. In addition to the clothing (they have their own brand!), coffee, and other ghoulish gifts, they go all out decorating for the spooky holiday vibe.

 

 Blackcraft is in what used to be a bank. The former teller windows have had the glass removed and serve as the checkout counter. An employee told us of  a particular spot at the counter where the floor dips slightly from people standing at the teller window over the decades. Here you can see the vaults.

  

 This life-size (not made of) gingerbread house has got a lot going on. There's some gingerbread punks running along the top and gingerbread bats hanging from the roof.

  

 I mentioned earlier, Blackcraft is also one part haunted attraction! During the off season, you can do a walk through and take all the photos you want. During Halloween season, it gets a little more intense by turning down the lights and adding scare actors. Definitely need to check both versions out when I have time.

 

 In the back corner of the store is Blackcraft Coffee that has a witch's cottage design aesthetic. They offer the usual coffee house drinks but also have a variety of other offerings, even a couple inspired by local personalities like the Good Witch of Salem and Borah. Aside from that, they also have seasonal specialties like gingerbread lattes and some Krampus themed hot cocoa.

 

 They have candy and treats for sale too including these Movie S'mores with some creative name/flavor combos.

 

 I went with "Black Christmas" which is hot cocoa with toasted marshmallows, whipped cream, and a chocolate lump of coal. It was delicious! The cocoa was really good on its own. I hate when you get it somewhere and it just doesn't give you that joy of hot cocoa.

 

 And then we got a photo with Krampus because how do you not? He was definitely a more beastly Krampus that didn't speak and communicated in loud grunts and howls. While we were waiting for our drink orders, he stormed up to the register, grunted something, and the cashier told him they were out then he got mad and stomped away.

 

 As usual, I've got more pics on Flickr if you want to have a look.

 

 

 Merry Creepmas! 

 

Halloween 2025 Wrap-Up

Because I'm not ready to let it go just yet, here's a little coda to my Halloween experience.

 

 As is tradition, I make up goodie bags in the morning while watching YouTube compilations of Halloween TV ads from the 70s-90s. I changed it up for candy this year. Usually I get one bag of chocolate something and a second bag of non-chocolate candy. This year, I picked up some candy jewelry at Dollar Tree, Blow Pops, and a mixed bag of chocolate and other candy.

 

Last year, I picked up a bunch of the Halloween "fun size" Pez dispensers at post-holiday discount. I tossed those in the bags with candy and a plastic ring. I like giving the kids something extra other than candy. Their candy may be around for another week or two, but I like to think I'm giving them something to remind them of Halloween beyond that. This year, a lot of the kids were super excited that we were handing out goodie bags! I always hope that's the reaction when they empty out their haul later so it was nice to actually see their reaction.

 

 Once darkness arrived, it was time to head into Salem. Don't worry, I left stuff on the porch for any kids that may come by.

 

 Last year, it was a balmy 70 degrees at night! This year it was mid-50s, not "cold" by New England standards but we had quite a wind which made it a bit colder and also provided for good dramatic cape billowing as I walked around.

 

  

I have a spot that I go to outside the Peabody Essex Museum (fantastic place, a must see if you're visiting) and just hang out. For the most part, I stand still and watch people as say to their friends "is that a real guy?" Sometimes I'll move my head to follow them walking by and nod or wave.

 

A lot of folks stop to take a pic with me, which I take as a great compliment. I posted to a Salem Facebook group asking if anyone had pics with me because I rarely get to see them and this is one of the replies I got.

 

One of the best parts of the night was having a little kid, that couldn't have been more than five or six, in a full body Huggy Wuggy costume want to take a pic with me and then giving me a hug. There are adults that will actively avoid me and this kid had zero fear.

 

Another fun thing that happened was when someone dressed as Freddie Mercury (jeans, white tank top, and 'stache) walked by with a rolling suitcase that had a sound system inside blasting We Are the Champions. And just like that, a lot of the surrounding crowd just started singing along. It was kind of a magical, uplifting thing to hear so many people join in and have fun.

 

Around Salem 2025

 

Salem celebrates Halloween all month long starting with the annual Haunted Happenings parade and there are all sorts of events for the rest of the month which you can peruse here. Every weekend there is a street fair downtown with dozens of vendors selling all sorts of art, jewelry, clothing, and more. It's so much fun just walking around and taking it all in...even if it is a bit crowded.

 

 So crowded that some of the downtown area streets have to be closed to traffic! If you look down to the right of the street signs, you can see the TV Land statue of Samantha from Bewitched. This line of people going across the street are waiting to get a photo with her. Most of the shops and restaurants have lines to get in this time of year because so many come to visit.

 

 This is a shot from the Essex St. pedestrian mall. This area is super crowded every weekend with all kinds of shops along both sides. If you venture away to explore the city, the crowds are much more do-able. 

 

I didn't even notice when I took the photo but I captured a local celebrity! On the left, you'll see Landon in a white hoodie who's holding Lucipurr the black cat. It's not uncommon to run into them around town.

  

 Along the pedestrian mall, there are a variety of buskers in costume ranging from pop culture icons to original characters. They take tips in exchange for photos. This is J. Lantern, the Dapper Pumpkin. Not only does he look snazzy, but the head is designed to pull off the stem and he has a little stash of candy in their for the kids!

 

 This guy sits patiently until someone approaches.

 

I don't know if there's anywhere else where you might find an evil clown playing violin to Abba's Dancing Queen! 

 

 The Salem Dunkin' got a spooky makeover to promote their spider donut. The inside has more decoration but the line was out the door and across the parking lot! When photos started showing up in Salem Facebook groups, a lot of people thought it was just AI generated which I totally see. It looks weird even in person.

 

I've got a lot more pics but I feel like this post is going long already so if you want to take a virtual walk around town, flip through the album below or visit it on Flickr. I think it's worth mentioning, this is just the downtown area where most of the tourist action is. There's a lot more to Salem!

  

 

 Click below to see the full list of Countdown to Halloween blogs!

 

Salem Haunted Happenings Parade 2025

Last night was the 28th annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade in Salem, MA. This has really become one of my favorite seasonal traditions. Who doesn't love a parade? On top of that, I go to the staging area before it starts to get a preview and snap some pics.

  

 

Where else would you see a Predator, Michael Myers, the Addams Family and Jesus hanging out together? These are some of the Salem buskers you can find along the pedestrian mall downtown. They take donations for taking photos with them.

  

I just happened to catch this shot of the Addams Family as the mom of the little girl was taking her own photo. Her staff is blocking it but Gomez is holding a baby Pubert, complete with mustache. 

Halloween 2024 Recap

 This was certainly a different Halloween. I went into Salem as usual to stalk the streets...or rather I should say The Creep did.

Typically, Halloween night in Salem has an autumn chill in the air. There have been times when it was colder or warmer but this year was probably the warmest. When I got into town around 6:30, it was 70 degrees! We'd had a couple days of unseasonably warm days so I was prepared. It was the first time I've worn shorts and a sleeveless tee under the costume, and it was definitely the right call.

I know a lot of us Hallo-weirdos get into a funk after the big day so I wanted to share this Instagram post from Jason at The Cryptocurium. If you love Halloween and horror, go check out his art and figures!

I've still got at least one spooky post coming up to keep the vibe rolling.

There's probably plenty of random videos you can find of Halloween night in Salem. This one is just over 30 minutes and will give you an idea of the costumes and craziness. Ok, it's not really crazy, it's just a LOT of people.

Here's another video that visits the Salem Night Faire I posted about recently to give you a better idea of what it's like there. Derek Millen does a lot of Salem-centric videos and he's got plenty on his channel just from this October if you want to virtually check things out.

Salem Night Faire

 For a few weekends in October you can step into the Salem Night Faire, a craft fair that shares its border of reality with strange beings from another realm. This is the seventh year for the Faire and I finally decided to pay a visit.

The Faire has over 50 vendors offering all sorts of things including jewelry, clothing, art, and other hand made items. There's also plenty of food and drink to be had. The event is located at Salem's Pioneer Village. Hocus Pocus fans would no doubt recognize Binx's home as the early Salem scenes were filmed here.

You can even find the Sanderson's spell book inside the building.

Venture further in after the break!

Salem Haunted Happenings Parade 2024

 On the first Thursday of October, Salem had its 27th Annual Haunted Happenings Parade to officially kick off the season...even though tourists start coming in mid-September.

 

You may think big things when you hear Salem and Halloween Parade, but this is very much any small town parade just with a Halloween twist. My favorite thing to do is to walk around the parade staging area and get photos. The parade doesn't get rolling until it's just about dark so it's a good time to get pics. Plus there's a really fun energy seeing everyone getting ready.

There's plenty of familiar faces around. Someone else was actually setting up this shot and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to catch these two. This guy is an awesome Beetlejuice!

Monthly Media Recap - April 2024

Grab a drink and some snacks because we've got a bit longer than average post this month!

Series

Fallout (2024, Amazon Prime)

Fallout is a bit of a blind area in my gaming experience. I've only briefly dabbled with some of the games and have never been able to get into them. That didn't impact my enjoyment of the show one bit though! From what little I do know about the games, it seems like they captured that world wonderfully. Also, not recommended for the squeamish.

Movies

 

 

Lisa Frankenstein (2024, Peacock)

If Tim Burton and John Hughes made a movie in the 80s, this would be that weird offspring. It's quirky and fun with some dark humor. Cole Sprouse is great as the resurrected man despite having almost no dialog. And I can't say enough about Kathryn Newton, she is well on her way to Scream Queen status.

Rating: 8/10

The Seventh Curse (1986, Tubi-English Dub)

I couldn't find an English dub of the trailer but just trust me on this one. It's a perfect fantasy/adventure/martial arts/horror movie for a party night. It's wild and goofy but somehow still very entertaining. Just watch the trailer and you'll see what I mean.

Rating: 6/10

 

26th Annual Salem Haunted Happenings Parade

Nothing helps get you in the Halloween mood like the Salem Haunted Happenings Parade. There's just something about seeing so many people come together to celebrate.

The theme this year is Myths and Legends. 2023 is the largest parade to date!

 

You can watch the entire parade courtesy of Salem Local Access.The actual parade doesn't start until the point the video will play so don't think you missed much.

Here's a few highlights

31:43 - Blackcraft Haunted Attraction

36:43 - Dancing Evil Mickey

42:24 - National Park Service

1:00:20 - All the Ghostbusters

1:05:30 - Wicked Jeeps

1:09:30 - Freddy in Santa's sleigh?!

1:15:30 - Black Veil (costume goals!)

 

As much fun as the parade is, my favorite part is going "backstage" to the ready area and seeing everyone get their costumes and vehicles ready.

You can also browse the pics on Flickr for a better look.

Be sure to check out the complete list of Countdown bloggers by clicking below.

 

Had That Toys & Collectibles

 

After it opening about two years ago, I finally stopped in to Had That, a toys/collectibles shop in Salem. It's not like it's out of the way, it's only about a 15 minute drive from my house but it became one of those things where you drive by and say "Oh yeah, have to check that out some time" and then you don't. Mrs Dex and I had a day off during the week and were in the area so we decided that was the day.

It's not a large place but it is packed with all kinds of nostalgia! While it's mostly toys, they do have a few short boxes of comics and a display case with the latest Pokemon cards.

Salem Horror Fest 2023

 aka April Monthly Media Recap, Part II 

 

For the past five years, Salem has been hosting an annual Horror Fest that's two weekends of independent horror films and shorts along with a few special events and celebrity appearances. They get hundreds of submissions from around the world, somehow narrow them down, and squeeze them into two weekends. 

 

The festival organizer is an amazing trans woman and Salem is super LGBTQ+ friendly so a lot of the selections feature themes and/or creators that are LGBTQ+. Part of what I love about SHF is that it gives me the chance to see things that wouldn't usually hit my radar and that are usually very different from what the big studios are putting out.

 

Prior years have been virtual which is great because you can watch the movies on demand on your own schedule. It's not as easy to sit in a theater for several movies a day, especially when the movies you want to see are back to back and don't leave time to duck out for a bite. But I have to say, it's so much more fun to see these movies with an actual audience and to have the chance to chat with other like minded folk!

Salem's So Sweet 2023

 This past weekend was the 21st annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival in downtown Salem. It's an all weekend event for shopping, sampling, and seeing cool art...literally!

Every year there are 25-30 ice sculptures put up in the downtown area and at night, they're illuminated. I've never seen them lit up because it's February and it's usually cold enough during the day to be out and about walking. Although, this year was pretty comfortable.

2022 Salem Haunted Happenings Parade

 

 While the spooky season celebrations start gearing up at the end of September, the first Thursday of October is the official kickoff to Haunted Happenings in Salem with the annual parade. This is the 40th year for Haunted Happenings and the 25th for the parade. The theme is "Who is your hero?"

I tried taking photos for you but it being at night and lit be street lamps, they mostly came out like garbage. But what I can share are a few behind the scenes photos of the parade getting ready. They prep in a large parking lot every year and it's always fun to see everyone doing their thing.

 

 

This is just a small fraction of the parade. Way off in the back is the Friendship of Salem, a 171 foot replica of a 1797 sailing ship that was built in Salem.
 

Proctor's Ledge - Salem, MA

 If you've been following me for awhile, and have a really good memory, you may recall a post I did about the re-dedication of the Witch Trials Memorial in downtown Salem. That memorial was created in 1992 to honor those who were persecuted for witchcraft.

In 2016, a group of researchers determined the actual location of the Witch Trials hanging executions is a place now called Proctor's Ledge and not the nearby Gallows Hill area. In 2017, a new memorial was dedicated at the base of this location, which is where the victim's bodies were unceremoniously dumped after being executed.

Sorry for the "shady" photo. I went at 8:30 on a Saturday morning because when I went Friday afternoon there were people there. Even Saturday morning, a car rolled up across the street with Virginia plates and a family of 3 got out to take photos.

It sits on a one-way street nestled in a small residential neighborhood behind a Walgreens. Your typical Salem sightseer is unlikely to stumble into it because it's not in the main downtown, touristy area. As it should be, it's not an overly commercialized type of place, it's a simple memorial area. The names and dates of the 19 who were executed by hanging line the back wall.

At the front of the memorial, an oak tree is planted with the words "We Remember."

Up the hill behind the memorial is the ledge where the executions took place.

It's a little, peaceful wooded area that's obviously used for partying judging by the various colored, broken glass scattered around. There are signs posted stating you can be fined if found here after dusk.

If you happen to be of a historical mind, there's plenty of info out there about the Ledge.

Here's a couple articles of interest.

The Salem News from 7/19/17 on the memorial dedication.

 

A good read from the History Of Massachusetts Blog about the memorial and how the site was determined to be the location of the executions. 

  

Be sure to visit all the Countdown blogs! You can click on the image below to find a list of participants on the Countdown to Halloween site.