Featured photo: The House of the Seven Gables and Salem Harbor (2020). Photo: CaptureLLC / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Live music by the water in fall 2026. A pumpkin-carving night at the brewery. Local art, a bag of popcorn, a very good reason to order dessert. Follow Derby Street from Charlotte Forten Park toward Wolf Next Door Coffee and The House of the Seven Gables, and a Salem afternoon can become a whole evening without running out of places to stop.
That is what we love about this part of Salem. Our Haunted Happenings Marketplace at Forten connects with restaurants, shops, artists and historic places that give the neighborhood its character throughout the year. This fall, there are plenty of specific reasons to spend time with them.
This guide highlights Creative Collective members alongside neighboring businesses and public places, with a loop through Pickering Wharf along the way. We do our best to include a wide range of local businesses, but this is only a starting point. Salem has many more wonderful options to discover. Keep exploring!
Start with makers and music at Charlotte Forten Park
At 289 Derby Street, Charlotte Forten Park brings a new gathering place into the 2026 Haunted Happenings Marketplace. Browse independent makers, pick up handmade empanadas from Empanada Kingdom, stop for Holy Cow Ice Cream Cafe, or meet friends at The Cannery at Forten, the outdoor bar working with local breweries and spirits companies. Admission to the park activation is free; food, drinks and shopping are separate purchases, and activity fees vary. Explore Forten’s October 24 lineup.
Make it a Friday night at Forten: DJ Maxine Harrison plays October 16, 6:30–9 p.m., and DJ Kim Collins returns October 30, 5–9 p.m. Both events are free; food and drinks are separate purchases.
October 24 makes an especially good music day: Rob Carmichael plays solo acoustic from 2–4 p.m., followed by DJ Andrea Stamas from 5–9 p.m. On October 25, Dub Boat plays instrumental reggae from 5–8 p.m., including a half-hour break. Make the park a place to spend some time. Dub Boat details.
The makers change by date, and performances, food service and bar service follow separate schedules. Start with the Marketplace calendar and choose the day that fits.
Find pizza and pinball near the Haunted Neighborhood
Several Creative Collective members are clustered right around this end of Derby. Bambolina, at 288 Derby, makes hand-stretched, wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza. Notch Brewing, at 283R Derby, adds a waterfront biergarten, soft pretzels and a current tap list that includes Festbier. At Bit Bar, 278 Derby, dinner comes with arcade games and pinball. Accompanied minors are welcome before 8 p.m.; the venue becomes 21+ afterward. October visits are walk-in, with no reservations.
There are reasons to return on a weekday, too. Notch’s October 15 Cheese Edition raffle, featuring Vin Fromage, supports the Salem Food Pantry. On October 20, its pumpkin-carving night includes a pumpkin and tools for $30, with beer purchased separately. Bit Bar’s October 16 Friday Night Drag with Miz Diamond Wigfall is free and 21+. The date planner below has times and direct links.
At Derby and Liberty Streets, member The Haunted Neighborhood brings together haunted houses, spellcasting, the reimagined Salem Wax experience and The Lost Library’s gothic gift-shop world. Its $70 Halloween Pass includes five experiences: Salem Wax, Witch Village: Halloweentown (haunted house on weekends), Frankenstein’s Castle, Within a Witching Hour Spellcasting, and the Candlelit Ghostly Walking Tour. A souvenir mug is included, and the pass can be used over one or multiple days. Redeem it at the Liberty Street Will Call booth before 5 p.m. to ensure access to all attractions; check the operator’s current terms and showtimes when planning.
Take the Pickering Wharf shopping and art loop
Step off Derby Street for a loop through Pickering Wharf. There is a strong group of Creative Collective members here, and the stops work well together: alternative fashion and gothic accessories at Coven Dark Boutique, 63B Wharf; jewelry and handmade gifts at Timeless Life Treasures by Kae Louise, 68 Wharf; and yarn, tarot decks and witchy goods at Circle of Stitches, 78 Wharf.
Leave room for something to carry along. Family-run member POPPED! Gourmet Popcorn, 84 Wharf, makes its popcorn in small batches and also serves Richardson’s ice cream and candy. It marks ten years in 2026.
For a souvenir made with your own hands, member The Witchery offers broom-making workshops for ages 13+ and bookbinding. Reserve ahead and confirm the exact location in the booking details; its related craft experiences use more than one space.
Then spend time with the artists. Member Salem Arts Association is now at 88 Wharf Street, where Monsters & Myths runs through November 7. Folklore, strange creatures and supernatural stories become subjects for local artwork. October also brings a Salem Arcanum Tarot artist talk and an interactive tarot workshop. This is a chance to encounter the people making Salem’s visual culture now, alongside the history visitors come to see.
For more shops, waterfront meals and creative experiences, explore our local guide to Pickering Wharf in Salem.
Make a waterfront meal part of the visit
Two more member restaurants give the Wharf loop a delicious fall finish. Finz Seafood & Grill, 86 Wharf, has butternut squash ravioli and pumpkin pie tiramisu on its current menu. Its drinks menu includes the Cool as a Pear mocktail with pear, maple and ginger beer. At Sea Level Oyster Bar, 94 Wharf, the Autumn Ember pizza combines Brussels sprouts, caramelized onion, bacon, goat cheese and pomegranate balsamic. A vegetarian tostada with spiced pumpkin and roasted carrots offers another autumn option.
Back on Derby, member Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites, 225 Derby, is home to Mainstay Social and one of the season’s bigger costume-party nights. Wicked Night on the Wharf: UNTAMED takes over October 24, with a haunted-jungle theme, dancing, performances and a costume contest hosted by Billy Costa. It is a ticketed 21+ event. The hotel also advertises an October 24–25 Halloween accommodation package that includes two party tickets; check room availability and package terms directly.
Follow the waterfront into eastern Derby
At 160 Derby Street, Salem Maritime National Historical Park brings the harbor and its history into the walk. Its buildings and programs are free, with individual opening schedules. Leave time for the waterfront grounds and a look at the historic buildings.
On October 17, this stretch also hosts Witch Hats on the Wharf, Salem400+’s community photo and world-record attempt. Wear a witch hat and arrive before 11 a.m.; overhead photographs are planned at and shortly after 11. Allow extra travel time and follow the City’s arrival guidance.
Continue to member Trade House, 156 Derby, for a neighborhood-pub meal. Short rib is on the menu, and the business says its weekly specials change on Thursdays. Its Instagram is the place to check what is being served that week.
Neighbor Mercy Tavern, 148 Derby, adds another fall food stop: pumpkin ravioli with brown butter, sage and fried leeks, plus drinks including the pumpkin-and-chai Basic Witch, which also has a mocktail option. See Mercy’s current menu.
Stop for coffee and something sweet before the Gables
Member and Marketplace Supporting Sponsor Wolf Next Door Coffee, 142 Derby, is a good reason to keep walking east. Coffee, espresso, pastries and made-to-order sandwiches make it useful for breakfast or a break between stops. The current ordering menu includes house-made Pumpkin Spicy and Brown Sugar Cinnamon syrups. The Cows on Strike latte brings maple and vanilla together with soy milk.
Next door, The Chocolate Pantry, 140 Derby, offers truffles, imported chocolate and chocolate-dipped cookies, including vegan and sugar-free choices. Farther along, Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie, 122 Derby, connects the neighborhood’s sweet tooth to a company dating to 1806. Look for its lemon and peppermint Gibralters and handmade Blackjacks.
At 115 Derby, member and Marketplace Community Sponsor The House of the Seven Gables gives the walk a fitting destination: a historic mansion, literary connections and seaside gardens. Mansion tours and grounds visits require tickets, so choose an admission option ahead. The historic houses are not wheelchair accessible; the visitor center, restrooms, gardens, grounds and museum store are.
For an evening visit, Hawthorne’s Halloween Bash on October 17, 7–10 p.m., brings costumes, literary characters, Doctor Gasp and a costume contest to the seaside campus. Haunted Fables on October 18 offers Hawthorne and Poe storytelling from 6:30–8 p.m., recommended for brave children 10+ and adults. That performance takes place in the visitor-center auditorium and does not include mansion admission. Check the ticket links for current availability.
Choose your October date
All times are local to Salem. These are separate options; allow time for meals, walking and any required check-in.
| Date | What to plan around |
|---|---|
| Thursday, October 15 | Notch Cheese Edition raffle, 5:30–8 p.m. Raffle tickets are $1; raffle-ticket proceeds support the Salem Food Pantry. |
| Friday, October 16 | DJ Maxine Harrison at Forten, 6:30–9 p.m., free and all ages. Friday Night Drag at Bit Bar, 9 p.m. Free, 21+. |
| Saturday, October 17 | Witch Hats on the Wharf, arrive before 11 a.m.; Hawthorne’s Halloween Bash, 7–10 p.m., ticketed. |
| Sunday, October 18 | Groove Gamers at Bit Bar, 5:30 p.m., free; or Haunted Fables at the Gables, 6:30–8 p.m., ticketed. |
| Tuesday, October 20 | Pumpkin Carving Night at Notch, 6–8 p.m. $30 includes a pumpkin and tools; beer is separate. Register ahead. |
| Wednesday, October 21 | Salem Arcanum Tarot artist talk, 6–8 p.m., Salem Arts, 88 Wharf. Suggested $20 donation for nonmembers; free for Salem Arts members and Tarot Class registrants. |
| Thursday, October 22 | Tarot with Elise at Notch, 6–9 p.m. Walk-ins; $35 for a 15-minute reading. |
| Saturday, October 24 | Forten music: Rob Carmichael, 2–4 p.m.; DJ Andrea Stamas, 5–9 p.m. UNTAMED at the Waterfront Hotel, ticketed, 21+. |
| Sunday, October 25 | Dub Boat at Forten, 5–8 p.m., including a half-hour break. |
| Monday, October 26 and Wednesday, October 28 | Learn to Knit at Circle of Stitches, 7–9 p.m. both dates. This is a two-session course at 78 Wharf. |
| Wednesday, October 28 | Tarot Immersive for Artists & Creatives, 6–8 p.m., Salem Arts. $40 for Salem Arts members, $60 for nonmembers; bring a Rider-Waite deck and register ahead. This overlaps the knitting course. |
| Friday, October 30 | DJ Kim Collins at Forten, 5–9 p.m. Free; food and drinks are separate purchases. |
| Saturday, October 31 | Halloween with DJ Andrea Stamas at Forten, 1–4 p.m. |
Give the neighborhood time
Choose the event that matters most, book it first, and build the rest of the walk around it. October traffic and street closures can change the trip into downtown; Destination Salem recommends the commuter rail or Salem Ferry, especially on busy weekends. Check the 2026 travel and road-closure guidance and allow extra time.
Use the Marketplace events calendar for Forten programming and the visitor FAQ for planning help. Menus, tickets and promotions can change, so check the linked business pages before heading out.
Come for the show, stay for dinner, and leave enough time to meet the people behind the shops along the way. We’ll see you on Derby Street.
The Haunted Happenings Marketplace is produced by Creative Collective and is one part of Salem’s broader Haunted Happenings celebration. “Haunted Happenings” is a name owned by BPM Productions, Inc. and used by Creative Collective with permission.
