This is an annual series documenting my volunteer shifts and outfits for the Salem Haunted Happenings Visitor Information Booth. Every October over 200 local volunteers, coordinated by Salem Main Streets, sign-up for 2-hour shifts on the weekends and holidays to assist visitors from all over the world by handing out guides, maps, and directions, and answering any questions the visitors may have. We had two locations fully staffed this year: the Information Booth on Washington Street (4 people at a time), a shipping container on Salem Common (2 people at a time), with the addition of 2-4 ‘floaters’ that (as the name suggests) floated around town finding the most congested areas (Old Town Hall, MBTA train station, etc.). The crowds this year were historic (again!) and we had so many volunteers this year, that I was limited in my official sign-up shifts, but I stepped-in to cover a few shifts that were understaffed and covered a few shift changes when needed.
Date (Location) – Visitors helped per shift – outfit worn (reason why):
9/26 (Info Booth) – 0 – we cancelled all shifts because a Nor’easter blew in
10/2 (Info Booth) – 650 – Ambassador Witch (because it’s my traditional first outfit)
10/3 (Common) – 49 – Ambassador Witch (because despite it already being the 2nd planned week of the booth, I wasn’t prepared)
10/11 (Info Booth) – 655 – Green Tweed Witch (story below!*)
10/24 (Common) – 75 – Royal Elf (because it fits again!)
10/25 (Info Booth) – 226 – no costume/”Salem Resident” (this was a last-minute fill-in shift)
10/31 (Floater) – 887 – Rhinestone Cowboy Rides Again (1:it fits again! 2:in honor of Dolly 3:origin lore here)
I helped 2,542 people out of the 41,000+ visitors counted over the month! This doesn’t count the dozens I helped each day while walking to or from my shifts. I always made sure I had a bag full of maps and brochures, just in case. Last year I had 2,819, but that was over 10 shifts. You can see the huge variance in numbers depending on where I was standing or the time of day. The Common booth remained quieter, even though the Common was full of vendors, activities, and people. On the 2nd, 11th, and 35th, I was standing on the corner of Washington and Essex streets, at the intersection of all of the congestion. Essex street is the hub of activity for buskers and (as the only year-round pedestrian street) is always the most congested. On the 31st, that huge number is because I was standing at the end of Washington Street right where the train station is. Trains arrived every 20-25 minutes, so we had 3 of us stationed there as the waves of people came pouring out. It took the crowds about 15 minutes to empty the station, so we had a few minutes between trains to actually talk to people.
In addition to the booth, I also helped-out at the Howl-o-ween Pet Parade, which had over 140 entries again this year! I registered pets and helped the announcer identify each contestant by name and number so the judges could take note. We had a lot more cats this year, a chicken, and tons of dogs. Our master of ceremonies was Joni, the newly elected Dog Mayor of Salem and her Deputy Mayor, Roger! As usual, I wish I had had time to take pictures of all of the costumes, but I was too busy. There are some videos and photos online.
Here are the outfit photos:
Bonus selfies:
1 – if you’ve seen this post, you may remember the Mayor puppet I made for the Y Cabaret. The Mayor and his wife volunteered at the Info Booth this year, and look who joined them! I was so proud to see my ‘son’ with his adoptive parents taking part in something so near and dear to my heart. LOL
2 – my cousin and her husband drove up to take part in the Witch Hats on the Wharf world record to benefit HAWC – we each wore one of my witch hats that I have made over the years. The traffic cone one got a lot of attention and made it very easy to spot us among the 2700 people in the drone footage and photos.
*I had bought this green tweed suit for a completely different holiday! My friend dresses as Mrs. Claus during the month of December as she walks around town and I wanted to join her last year, but with my beard, I thought most people would assume I was Santa, so I decided to be her secret service elf. I bought this green suit, some elf ears (repurposed for the elf costume above), curly-toed shoes, candy cane-striped tie, red shirt, and a fake earpiece and followed her around pretending to talk into the earpiece – “I have eyes on ‘Sugar Cookie’…” – “Code cocoa! Sugar Cookie needs a snack” – and generally keeping the Grinch from approaching her during the tree lighting. When I went to pull-out my October outfits, I realized the green tweed witch hat I had made years ago for my Herbology Professor outfit was a pretty good match, and decided to wear that for the Howl-o-Ween Pet Parade and my shift the following day.
Ten years ago, when I first volunteered, it was because I was between jobs and had the time free. Who could have known that this one simple act would open up my world and make me even more in love with my city – being an ambassador, meeting hundreds of new friends, growing closer with my community, being invited to planning committees, emceeing events, getting back on stage, and eventually serving as Board President for the very non-profit that runs the booth. I have found my people and it feels great.
Did I help you this year?!? Let me know in the comments!
