2700 Witches Descend on Salem for Witches on the Wharf Celebration

Above photo credit – Jay Reiss – Sperling Interactive

Witches arrived by broomstick, train, car, and foot on Saturday, October 17, for Salem’s Witches on the Wharf, a spirited gathering celebrating the city’s 400th anniversary.

More than 2,700 witches descended on Salem Maritime National Historical Park, turning the historic waterfront into a sea of pointed hats and black capes. Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo welcomed the costumed crowd, who gathered for a commemorative aerial photograph and drone video capturing the magic of the occasion.

“On behalf of the City, I want to extend my thanks to everyone who turned out for this historic moment and all of the City staff and partners who helped make it possible! Not only did we set a record as part of Salem 400+, but this event also helped to raise funds for HAWC to support their work helping victims of domestic abuse. Hopefully, many of the thousands of visitors and locals who came to the wharf for the photo also took some time to enjoy the shops, restaurants, and sites on Salem’s remarkable waterfront!” said Salem’s Mayor Dominick Pangallo.  

Destination Salem’s Executive Director, Ashley Judge, noted: “We counted every attendee visible in a high-resolution drone photo taken at the peak moment: 2,561 people. Allowing for those blocked from view by the fire ladder, trees, and the crowd itself, we estimate about 2,700 attendees, plus a few dogs in hats. And Assistant Director of Salem Main Streets, Elise Towle Snow, wore a Medusa hat with nine little hats on it, and we only counted her as one. For science.”

Adding to the festivities, the MBTA and Keolis distributed witch hats to visitors arriving at Salem Station, helping set the stage for a spellbinding day.

The celebration was part of another bustling October weekend in Witch City, with visitors exploring Salem’s historic waterfront, shops, restaurants, museums, and attractions.

Donations are being accepted to support Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC) and you can learn more about Salem 400+ at https://salem400.org/.

Witches on the Wharf was hosted by the City of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park and Destination Salem. Proceeds from the special-edition Salem 400+ witch hats sold by the City benefit Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC).

Photos and Drone Footage available HERE. Drone footage provided by SemperDrone and Sperling Ineractive. Photos courtesy of Destination Salem.