The best thing on the calendar this week is free and on a Monday night: the Salem Community Band doing a Halloween program at Salem State. Witch City Hibachi has two more themed days, Stranger Things on Monday and a vampire masquerade on Thursday. Tuesday is quiet, and I am not going to pad it. Thursday picks back up. This is the midweek edition, Monday to Thursday.
IF YOU DO ONE THING
Go hear Danse Macabre, free, on Monday night.
The Salem Community Band is playing a Halloween program at the Salem State Recital Hall: Danse Macabre, The Haunted Carousel, a suite from Symphonie Fantastique, and selections from Phantom of the Opera. It is a proper community band, players from all over the area at every age and level, directed by Cyndi Napierkowski. Admission is free and donations at the door are welcome. A Monday night orchestra concert for nothing is the best deal on this week's calendar, and a great way to support your local community.
Monday, October 19 · 7:30 PM · Salem State Recital Hall, 71 Loring Avenue · Free
If you go, tell them you heard it from From Witch City.
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Monday, October 19
Stranger Things Day. 11:30 AM to 10 PM, Witch City Hibachi, 94 Lafayette Street. Back to the Upside Down: themed cocktails and mocktails, decor and music all day, a costume contest at 6:30 with the cash prize picked at 6:45, and a goodie bag if you show up in theme. No ticket, just turn up and eat. Details
It's All Good. Good food. A good time. A good deed for Salem. 5 to 9 PM, Longboards, 76 Wharf Street. A dinner night with a cause attached, listed through the Salem Chamber. Details
Haunted Fables at The Gables. 6:30 PM, The House of the Seven Gables, 115 Derby Street. Nathaniel Hawthorne, played straight, performs his scariest tales alongside Poe: The Cask of Amontillado, The Raven, Young Goodman Brown. Indoors in the Visitor Center auditorium, and the Gables pitches it at families with brave kids ten and up. Details
Molly Pinto Madigan. 7 to 9 PM, Gulu-Gulu Cafe, 247 Essex Street. No cover, and done by nine. Details
90 Minute Witch Hat Design Session. Noon, Witch Pix, 29 Congress Street. Build your own hat in an hour and a half. It runs every day this week if Monday does not work. Details
Also Monday: Open Mic Night at East Regiment at 7, and A Spirited Evening Connecting with the Other Side at Celestial Navigation at 7, nightly through Thursday.
Tuesday, October 20
A quiet one. Four things worth leaving the house for, and that is the honest count.
Pumpkin Carving Night. 6 to 8 PM, Notch Brewing, 283R Derby Street. Hosted by The Green Witch. Thirty dollars covers the pumpkin and every tool you need; the beer is on you. Sign up ahead through Notch. Details
Hocus Pocus Paint Night with Rob Lynch. 7 PM, Far From The Tree, 108 Jackson Street. A guided paint night with the obvious October theme. Details
Salem Writers Group. 7 PM, Salem Athenaeum, 337 Essex Street. Details
Halloween Movies Trivia. 8 PM, Bit Bar, 278 Derby Street. Details
Also Tuesday: Start the Night at Bernadette at 5, Tarot Tuesday at Far From The Tree at 5, Test Kitchen Tuesdays at Hallowed Ground at 5, trivia at East Regiment at 7, karaoke with Maxine Harrison at Gulu-Gulu at 7, and trivia at Village Tavern at 7:30.
A giveaway, for subscribers
Two pieces of this year's Dunkin' Salem Halloween merch, the Entering Salem tumbler and the black cauldron, go to two subscribers, one prize each. Every subscriber is entered, and each friend who subscribes with your referral link earns you a bonus entry. Subscribe free to enter. Winners drawn Thursday, October 29. Nothing to buy. Questions? Email [email protected].
Wednesday, October 21
Chronicles and Crafts in the Cove. 10:30 to 11:30 AM, The House of the Seven Gables. A book and a themed craft in the museum's kids' space, for ages zero to six. Free with registration. Details
Hocus Pocus Decor at Ropes Mansion. From 10 AM, Ropes Mansion, Essex Street. PEM has dressed the outside of the Ropes Mansion in full Hocus Pocus style. It is the house from the film, and the decor is all on the outside, so you can see it from the street. Details
Tarot Artist Talk by Jim Bostick. 6 to 8 PM, Salem Arts Association. With special guest Madame Thérèse DeVoe, hosted by Leah Ordonia. Details
Rat Cult Meet Up. 7 to 9 PM, Bit Bar, 278 Derby Street. Exactly what it says. Rat costumes are encouraged. Details
Weirdo Wednesdays. 7:30 PM, CinemaSalem, 1 East India Square. Details
Also Wednesday: Open Mic at Far From The Tree at 5, free bingo with Will Pottorff at Gulu-Gulu at 6, Notch Run Club at 6, comedy open mic at Hallowed Ground at 6:30, The Shadows of the Seven Gables at 7, and Survivor 51 watch party at Far From The Tree at 8.
Thursday, October 22
Vampire Masquerade Day. 11:30 AM to 10 PM, Witch City Hibachi, 94 Lafayette Street. Masks, themed cocktails and mocktails, photo ops, a goodie bag if you dress up, and a costume contest at 6:30 with the cash prize at 6:45. No ticket. Details
Tarot Card Reading at Notch. 6 PM, Notch Brewing, 283R Derby Street. Details
WICKCRAFT: Pour Your Own Halloween Candle. 7 to 9 PM, Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry, 79 Washington Street. You leave with the candle. Details
Trivia Time at Koto. 7 PM, Koto, 90 Washington Street. Themed pub trivia on the fourth Thursday of the month, with a new theme each time. Details
Cryptid Creature Cabaret. 8 to 10 PM, Koto, 90 Washington Street. Stay put after trivia. Details
Also Thursday: Food Court at Old Town Hall from noon, From Another Galaxy specials at Flying Saucer from 4, the Marketplace at Charlotte Forten Park, Sips and Myths at Salem Wine Imports at 5:30, hat making at Witch Pix at 6, the Sea Witch Ball workshop at 7, Witches Amongst Us at The Cellar at 7, Comedy Coven at The Lost Library at 7, Couch Dog trivia at 7:30, Open Mic at Gulu-Gulu at 7:30, and Arcade Era Karaoke at Bit Bar at 9.
On the horizon
Hamlet, free, from Elsewhere Shakespeare at Far From The Tree, Friday at 7.
PEM Presents: Nosferatu with Live Orchestra on Saturday at 1.
Salem Night Faire closes out its run at Pioneer Village, Friday and Saturday from 5.
The weekend proper lands in Thursday's issue.
70+ events made this week's list. The whole calendar lives at fromwitchcity.com/events, and last Thursday's issue is still here.
THE DINNER CLUB
We are entering our fourth table.
Six people, one table, a good meal and real conversation. You take a short quiz, we match you with five compatible locals and pick the restaurant, and you find out where the morning of. After dinner every table meets up somewhere for a drink.
Every single person who has booked a seat so far gave the same reason for coming: they are looking for new friends.
Tuesday, November 3 · 6:30 PM · Salem · Dinner on your own tab
From Witch City, a local's guide to Salem, MA. Reply and tell us what we missed.