Salem Events Oct 1-8: Haunted Happenings Parade Tonight

October starts for real tonight. The Haunted Happenings Grand Parade steps off from Shetland Park at 6:30 and ends up on the Common around 8:15, free, and after that the city does not slow down until November. Here is the week.

IF YOU DO ONE THING

Go to Koto when the parade lets out.

The parade ends on the Common around 8:15. Thirstiest Thursday at Koto starts at 9, hosted by Buster Pants with special guests, four minutes away. The timing is almost suspiciously good.

Thu, Oct 1 · Doors 9 PM · Koto, 90 Washington St · No cover · 21+

If you go, tell them you heard it from From Witch City.

29th Annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade. 6:30 PM, departs Shetland Park, ends at Salem Common around 8:15. Free. If you have never watched it from the Common end, do that once. The crowd thins by the time the last units arrive and you get the whole thing without the crush. Details

Haunted Happenings Marketplace at Charlotte Forten Park. 5 PM. Open before the parade and right on the walk back. Details

From Another Galaxy at Flying Saucer Pizza. 4 to 9 PM, 118 Washington Street. Right at Lappin Park, which is the corner everyone walks through tonight. Details

Salem Farmers Market. 3 PM, Derby Square, with Granite Coast playing. Details

SALEM: Musical Bingo. 6:30 PM, Couch Dog Brewing. Details

House of Poems. 7 PM, Tarot Cove. Details

Also tonight: Thirstiest Thursday at Koto when the parade lets out, doors 9, no cover, 21+, and if you go tell them you heard it from From Witch City. Open Mic at Gulu-Gulu, 7:30. Thursday Night Trivia at Couch Dog, 7:30. Witches Amongst Us at The Cellar, 7. Arcade Era Karaoke at Bit Bar, 9.

Free tea and cake tasting at Jolie. 3 to 5 PM, 316 Derby Street. Actually free, every Friday, and it is a new cake each week. Details

Kevin Farren. 8 PM, Gulu-Gulu Cafe. No cover. Details

Terror Ticket: Raveyard. 8 PM, The Lost Library. Details

Salem’s Comedy Coven takes over Hotel Salem. 7 PM. Details

Also Friday: Judes & the Hutch at Couch Dog, 6:30. Eerie Stories at the Armory Visitor Center, 1 PM. Sea Witch Ball Workshop, 7. Freaky Friday Mystery Movie Night at East Regiment, 9.

Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair. 10 AM to 8 PM on Salem Common, and again Sunday 10 to 6. Free. Ten hours of it on Saturday, which is longer than most people realize. Details

Zombie Walk. 11 AM to 1:30 PM, Salem Common. Overlaps Biz Baz, so the Common is the whole morning. Details

The Making of a Witch, a play in one act. 2 PM and 4 PM, St. Peter’s-San Pedro Episcopal Church. Two showings, so the one you miss is not gone. Details

Horror Writing Workshop with Gillian Daniels. 1 PM, Salem Athenaeum. Details

Nocturne book club on Aaron Mahnke’s Exhumed. The door time is not posted anywhere we can find, so check with the shop before you go. Worth the phone call if you listen to Lore. Details

Kinetic Trio. 8 PM, Gulu-Gulu. No cover. Details

Also Saturday: Haunted Happenings Marketplace at Derby Square, 10 AM. Blown glass pumpkins and flameworking at North Shore Glass School, 10. Slime Potion Brewing at The Lost Library, 10. Salem Themed Bag and Charm Bar at Lightshed, 10. Misfortune parlor magic at the Athenaeum, 5:30. Salem’s Comedy Coven haunted show at The Lost Library, 8. Decade 80’s Night at Koto, 9, first Saturday of the month, $10, 21+.

Haunted Biz Baz, day two. 10 AM to 6 PM, Salem Common. Details

Sips and Myths at Salem Wine Imports. 5:30 PM. Details

Woodburning workshop: Halloween cutting boards. 5 PM, East Regiment Beer Company. A useful object at the end of it, which is more than most craft nights give you. Details

Also Sunday: Misfortune parlor magic, 3 PM. Paint and Sip at Hotel Salem, 5. Groove Gamers rhythm-game meetup at Bit Bar, 5:30. Notch Run Club, noon. Eerie Stories on Salem Sound, 2.

Monday. The Enchanted Salem Social at the Hawthorne Hotel, 12:30. Jack O Lantern needle felting at Couch Dog, 6. Stitch Night at Circle of Stitches, 6:30. Open Mic Night at East Regiment, 7.

Tuesday. National Taco Day at Village Tavern, from 11 AM. Tarot Tuesday at Far From the Tree. Tuesday Trivia at East Regiment, 7. Karaoke with Maxine Harrison at Gulu-Gulu, 7. Salem Writers Group at the Athenaeum, 7.

Wednesday. Abracadabra, a Lady Gaga themed drag show at Die With Your Boots On, 6 PM. Tarot Intensive for Artists and Creatives at Salem Arts Association, 6. Halloween Movie Paint Night at Couch Dog, 6:30. Free bingo with Will Pottorff at Gulu-Gulu, 6. Tai Chi at St. Peter’s-San Pedro, 4:30. Notch Run Club, 6:30.

Salem Farmers Market at 3. Sips and Myths at 5:30. Hobbit Hole Teacup Class at East Regiment, 6. Salem’s Comedy Coven at The Lost Library, 7. Witches Amongst Us at The Cellar, 7. Thursday Trivia and Open Mic in their usual slots. Koto Comedy Night, hosted by Will Pottorff, runs at 8.

The Halloween Boat Parade and the Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade are both Saturday the 10th, and Lanterns in the Woods is Friday the 9th at Salem High School. None of the three has posted a time yet.

That is 129 real events on the calendar for the next eight days, which is the most we have ever counted in one window. The full list is at fromwitchcity.com/events, and last week’s issue is still up if you missed the Haunted Happenings opening.

ONE LAST THING

There is a seat at the next table.

Six strangers, one Salem restaurant, one long Tuesday night. The first table filled, so we are booking the next. Two minutes to sign up and we handle the rest.