By Charly SHELTON

Ten years ago Halloween night, I stayed late after trick-or-treating to watch a movie with my friend from high school. This began a relationship that has led to marriage, sharing a life together and, now, to Salem, Massachusetts. Our honeymoon in Ireland this March featured way more lithic archaeological sites and cultural interpretive centers and museums than I thought she would put up with. But she struggled through as I “geeked out” over every little stone tool and Viking bracelet on display across the country. So, because marriage is all about give and take, for our next trip we decided to do something a little more her style – traveling to Salem at Halloween.

As a practicing Wiccan, this is a holy journey for her, akin to Jerusalem, the Vatican or Mecca for Abrahamic tradition adherents. It is also a great spot to satisfy our mutual interests in American history and, overall, just a really big party with a great crowd of people.

Although this trip was meant for her and I would just be along for the ride, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Over the coming weeks, you will read in CV Weekly about all the other Boston-area attractions and experiences, but Halloween was the crown jewel of this trip.

Salem, Massachusetts was the site of the witch trials and hysteria of 1692 when 19 people were convicted and executed for witchcraft based on the testimony of two girls. They claimed to have had “divine visions” of members of the Puritan community who made compacts with the devil, and then more accused by naming names of “fellow witches” to save themselves when under scrutiny. When one man was accused of witchcraft but refused to enter a plea, he was crushed with rocks in an attempt to determine his guilt. Seven others died in prison awaiting trial.

What remains in Salem today as a result of these trials is a hub for witches to practice openly, with magickal equipment shops lining the streets like Diagon Alley in “Harry Potter.” There are wand shops, apothecaries with blessed herbs, cauldrons, pointed hats, robes and cloaks, psychic fairs and book stores filled with spell books and textbooks on herbs, stones and magicks of all kinds. For Halloween, the town turns it up to 11 with a month-long celebration featuring special events for the season.

The weekend before Halloween, we attended a “mourning tea” in honor of those who have passed away, sending positive thoughts and healing words through the veil between worlds, and then, on Halloween night, we walked with a local coven through town and up to Gallows Hill, where the 19 witch trial victims were hung. The coven held a sacred circle ritual at sunset and the gathered crowd of about 150 people chanted and gave thanks, sending out positive thoughts and energy for a blessed new year to come.

After that, the number of folks in the town had swelled to overflowing and the party was in full swing with the streets closed down and costumed celebrants swarming the roadways and sidewalks for the biggest Halloween party ever. (West Hollywood, eat your heart out.) Lines to visit shops were rivaled in length only by the lines to visit the pubs. And costumes ranged from the Comic Con cosplayer elaborate to basic face paint and a hoodie. It was cold – 45° by 9 p.m. – and it was amazing how some of these women in slutty cat costumes were able to be outside with only a bra and fishnets. My wife and I dressed as Arwen and Strider from Lord of the Rings, and with my long sleeves, vest, leather jacket and cloak, I was still cold by the end of the night.

Despite the temperature, most everyone was in good spirits – pun intended. The people of Salem are wonderful, warm people who are always ready with a recommendation of where to go next. We had a great time and it really is a must-do trip on the bucket list for anyone, especially at Halloween.

Check back with CV Weekly’s Travel and Leisure section in the coming weeks for more from the trip to Boston and the surrounding areas.

  Charly Shelton