Salem in October

by Matt Dineen

A photograph of a house known as the Witch House in Salem, Massachusetts. Pumpkins and bales of hay line are alongside the walk by the front door.

October arrived early in Salem. Waiting in line in the hot mid-September sun to get inside one of the local shops, my face dripped with sweat as a terrifying 7-foot clown entertained and frightened passersby.

What some locals call “Septober” is now over. It is officially October in Salem and the Haunted Happenings have completely taken over.

October in Salem was merely an idea until this past week. It is now day after surreal day of spooky tourism; an autumnal Disneyland for goths of all ages.

October in Salem is a sea of witch hats in front of The Witch House, spilling onto the corner of North and Essex Streets. It’s a month-long traffic jam and a 2 hour-long wait for mediocre Mexican food. October in Salem was booked out a year in advance so there are no vacancies.

October in Salem is a black heart emoji. It is pure spooky joy and carnivalesque abandon from everyday life. It’s a late night dance party in which the cover charge is twice as high for those not wearing black. October in Salem is a beautiful nightmare.

October in Salem is an ugly mug. The line is wrapped around the block before the door is unlocked and the first party of four is seated for breakfast. The barricades in front of the Bewitched statue appear in all the group selfies and the flying saucer makes everyone’s mouth water. October in Salem is screaming theater in a crowded fire.

It’s a bonfire burning bright. It’s a series of ill-advised costume ideas. It’s an encore from the grave. It’s a tiki-boat ride cancelled on the one day all month it finally rains. It’s every single bank closing and transforming into a Spirit Halloween store.

Every day is Halloween in Salem, especially in October.

A version of this originally appeared in the tinyletter hearts & brains. Photo by Matt Dineen.

Matt Dineen is a Philadelphia expat, currently living in Salem, Massachusetts. He works 37.5 hours a week as the Senior Program Coordinator for Boston University’s Sociology Department. Dineen is the author of the zine Not for You: Stories of Music and Work from the Precarious Service Industry (Mad House, 2015). His writing has appeared in Prolit, Toward Freedom, Clamor, and Punk Planet.