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When you think of Halloween, you have to think of Salem, Massachusetts. The Witch City is set to receive a record number of visitors today, and they want to make sure it's as safe as it is spooky. With as many as 80,000 people expected for Haunted Happenings on Friday, Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo says they'll double the number of police officers. Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. WATCH HERE Like they do every year, it's an all hands on deck approach, but this year it includes new anti-vehicle barriers. The good news is that city leaders and law enforcement have prepared for this day for weeks, because Halloween in Salem is not just one day -- it's about the whole month. About a million people have come through the city in October. Crowd turnout is often dependent on the weather, but city officials say they are expecting between 50,000 and 80,000 people to show up on Halloween for the spooky celebrations. “Visitor trends throughout October indicate that we are expecting large crowds for Halloween night,” Pangallo said in a statement. “We encourage everyone to help us keep Salem magical: plan ahead, take public transportation, respect our rules and our residents, and enjoy a safe and fun Halloween!” For anyone planning to head to Salem, be mindful of traffic, limited parking and road closures, which will be in place by noon. The city is urging visitors to take public transportation. Local In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston and New England area. Here's everything you need to know about Haunted Happenings in Salem, according to its website. Haunted Happenings schedule of events Oct. 31 Stage on Salem Common, presented by Legion Salem 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm - DJ Richard Mixin 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm - Witches Circle 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm - Not Bad, Pretty Good 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm - Drunken Doja Monkey (DDM) Stage at Washington Street and Federal Street 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm - DJ Francois Flow 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm - Hello Newman Stage on Front Street 4:00 pm - DJ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm - Big Ol’ Dirty Bucket 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm - TerraFunk Stage at Charlotte Forten Park Live music at Harborwalk Stage on Hawthorne Boulevard 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm - Undercover Band 8:30 pm -10:00 pm - Pretty Rotten North River 10:10 pm – Halloween Night Closing Drone Show (sponsored by Witch City Walking Tours) Watch from MBTA platform or Washington Street. Please note that the City of Salem’s public address announcement system will be activated at approximately 10:00 pm to signal the beginning of the drone show. Final trains leaving Salem Visitors are urged to take public transportation. These are the final trains leaving Salem on Friday: To Boston: 11:05 pm To Newburyport: 12:22 am To Rockport: 12:30 am Click here to view more of the MBTA schedule. Salem road closures Road closures will be in place by noon Friday. Click here for a map of Salem road closures, from the city's website. Parking and shuttle information Parking in Salem is limited in October. Visitors are strongly encouraged to utilize the free parking at the satellite lots and ride the free shuttle into downtown Salem. WHERE TO PARK (free satellite lots) Salem State University’s O’Keefe Center – 225 Canal Street Salem High School – 77 Willson Street WHEN SHUTTLES RUN ON OCT. 31 Salem State University O’Keefe Center: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Salem High School: 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm Click here for a map. Be smart, be safe, have fun: Guidelines for a Happy Halloween The City of Salem strongly discourages disorderly behavior, including drinking in public, littering and random acts of vandalism. Offenders will be penalized to the maximum amount allowed under the law both civilly and criminally. Some violations may incur triple fines on Halloween. Please help us maintain a FUN and SAFE downtown environment on Halloween evening. Seek alternative transportation. Driving into Salem on Halloween is not advisable. There are numerous road closures on October 31. If you must drive, expect delays. Take the MBTA Commuter Rail or the Salem Ferry if possible. Avoid fines and possible tows by not parking in “Resident” zones. Arrive early, and use free satellite parking on Halloween Day (https://www.hauntedhappenings.org/maps-info/parking-shuttle-information/). Don’t get stuck! Entry to the MBTA garage will prohibited by the MBTA beginning at 6 pm. Access out of the garage will be prohibited until 11:30 pm (or when the festivities are over). Review Salem’s Halloween rules. Public consumption of alcohol is prohibited and weapons will be confiscated. The party ends after the drone show. Plan to depart by 10:30 pm as police and public works departments will be clearing the streets at this time. Triple fines are in effect. Citations for illegal behavior, including public drinking, vandalism, and littering could have fines up to $300 per violation. Please be considerate of other visitors, Salem residents, and downtown property. Check the weather ahead of time so you don’t find yourself caught in unpredictable New England weather. Halloween safety See something, say something. Emergency issues: call 911. Nuisance issues: call the Salem Police at (978) 744-1212. Please remember: Be safe, considerate, and use common sense. Be prepared to leave at the end of the evening. The party concludes after the drone show. Do not bring weapons, real or fake, to Salem on Halloween.
