Where do I park for Salem on Halloween night?

Plan parking and transport ahead, because downtown Salem is extremely busy on Halloween night and garages and lots fill early. Arrive well before the evening rush, consider the commuter rail if it works for your route, and check Salem's official Haunted Happenings site for current parking and shuttle guidance. If you stay for the 400-drone finale, the streets clear right after the 10:30 PM show, so decide on your departure plan before you go.

Is Salem's drone finale worth staying for?

If you are already in Salem on Halloween night, yes. The Halloween Night Finale is a 400-drone show over the North River from 10-10:30 PM marking Salem's 400th anniversary, and it is the closing moment of Haunted Happenings. Expect big crowds near the river during the show, dress warmly, and plan your walk back to the car or train for 10:30 PM, when the streets clear.

Weekend Events

Halloween Weekend on the North Shore: Things to Do in My Communities

Q: What time should trick-or-treaters start?

Start when your town posts its window, because each community sets its own hours. Beverly is 5-8 PM on Halloween; Newburyport, West Newbury, Rowley, and Manchester-by-the-Sea are all 5:30-7:30 PM. Use crosswalks, keep to well-lit streets, and only visit homes where the porch light is on.

Kathleen Militello · Published October 30, 2026 · 8 min read · Boston's Coastal North Shore

Three glowing carved jack-o'-lanterns lit from within on a dark wooden surface, casting a warm Halloween glow

This is the weekend: Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31, 2026, and the North Shore towns I serve are going all out. Salem caps a 400th-anniversary Haunted Happenings season with a 400-drone finale, Beverly lights its lantern trail for one last night, and communities from Newburyport to Manchester-by-the-Sea post their official trick-or-treat hours. Here is my guide to Halloween weekend, Friday October 30 through Sunday November 1, with the times as published and a few honest notes on getting around.

Top Picks for Halloween Weekend

Four standouts anchor the weekend. Plan around these and you will be in the middle of the best of it.

Saturday, October 31 | 10-10:30 PM

Salem Halloween Night Finale Drone Show

Salem closes Haunted Happenings with a 400-drone show over the North River starting at 10 PM, commemorating Salem's 400th anniversary. The show runs until 10:30 PM and the streets clear right after, so plan your departure for 10:30 PM. Details are on Salem's official Haunted Happenings site.

Friday, October 30 | Final night

Halloween on the Hill at Long Hill, Beverly

More than 1,500 hand-carved glowing jack-o'-lanterns line the wooded trails at Long Hill in Beverly. The event has been running Wednesday through Sunday evenings, and October 30 is its final night: the last chance to walk the lantern trail this season.

Saturday, October 31 | Posted town hours

Trick-or-Treat, Hour by Hour

Halloween falls on Saturday this year, and each town posts its own window. Beverly goes 5-8 PM, while Newburyport, West Newbury, Rowley, and Manchester-by-the-Sea trick-or-treat 5:30-7:30 PM. Start when your town window opens and look for porch lights before you ring.

Saturday, October 31 | All day

Halloween by the Sea, Manchester-by-the-Sea

Manchester's town-wide Halloween by the Sea celebration includes the Wobblin Goblin Parade, a pumpkin decorating contest at the Town Common, a party at Memorial from 5-6:30 PM, and official trick-or-treat from 5:30-7:30 PM.

Salem: Haunted Happenings Finale Weekend

Saturday, October 31 is the final night of Salem's Haunted Happenings, and the city has planned a full day of it before the finale. Downtown Salem is extremely busy on Halloween night, so settle your parking and transport plan before you go.

Saturday, October 31: live music on stages downtown from noon.
Haunted Happenings Marketplace on Salem Common: Saturday 10 AM-8 PM, Sunday 10 AM-6 PM, and Halloween night 10 AM-10 PM.
Halloween Night Finale: a 400-drone show over the North River from 10-10:30 PM, commemorating Salem's 400th anniversary. Streets clear right after the show, so plan to depart at 10:30 PM.
Peabody Essex Museum: the Houdini Halloween Magic Show and curator talk, Saturday and Sunday, 11 AM-noon.

Times and lineup are published on Salem's official Haunted Happenings site , which is the best place to confirm the schedule before you go.

Beverly: Lantern Trails and Trick-or-Treat

Beverly keeps Halloween weekend local and warm: a lantern trail in the woods, a city-posted trick-or-treat window, and a live band downtown on Friday night.

Halloween on the Hill at Long Hill runs its final night Friday, October 30. More than 1,500 hand-carved glowing jack-o'-lanterns sit along the wooded trails; the event has been running Wednesday through Sunday evenings through October 30.
Beverly's official trick-or-treat hours are 5-8 PM on Halloween, per the city.
Chianti hosts a Halloween party with live band Big Ol Dirty Bucket on Friday at 8 PM.

Cape Ann: Gloucester and Rockport

Cape Ann has a dress-up-and-go-out kind of Halloween weekend: live music on Friday night, a strong photography show at the museum, and a friendly rivalry on the soccer pitch Saturday morning.

Gloucester: The Cut presents SAFETY, a favorite North Shore 80s band, Friday night with costumes encouraged. Doors at 7, show at 8, and tickets are nearly sold out.
Gloucester: 51 Rocky Neck has its house band Friday at 8 PM, and The Rhumb Line has live music on Friday night.
Rockport: Rockport High hosts Gloucester in girls soccer, Saturday at 10 AM at Rockport.
Rockport: The Rockport Art Association and Museum shows Spirited Seas, Law Hamilton's solo photography show.

One honest note: Gloucester's city Halloween celebration at Stage Fort Park already took place earlier in October, so it is not on the calendar this weekend.

Newburyport Area: Parties and a Pet Parade

Halloween parties and a costumed pet parade anchor the weekend up the coast, and the official trick-or-treat window opens Saturday evening.

Newburyport Brewing Company throws its Halloween party Friday, 7-10 PM, with a Space Moose Halloween show at 6 PM.
Official Newburyport trick-or-treat is Saturday, 5:30-7:30 PM.
Halloween Pet Parade and Costume Contest: Saturday, 1-2:30 PM at BareWolf Brewing in Amesbury, 12 Oakland Street.
West Newbury trick-or-treats Saturday, 5:30-7:30 PM.

Manchester-by-the-Sea: Halloween by the Sea

Manchester packs Halloween into one day. Halloween by the Sea on Saturday is a town-wide celebration built for all ages, from the morning parade to the evening trick-or-treat window.

The Wobblin Goblin Parade marches through town on Saturday.
A pumpkin decorating contest takes place at the Town Common; decorated pumpkins can be dropped at the Police Station by October 30, for ages 14 and under.
A Halloween party runs 5-6:30 PM at Memorial.
Official trick-or-treat is Saturday, 5:30-7:30 PM.

More Halloween Fun Nearby

A few more stops around my service area round out the weekend.

Peabody: Capone's hosts a Neon 90s Halloween party, Friday at 8 PM.
Danvers: Francois-Magia has a show Friday at 8 PM.
Haverhill: Howl-O-Ween, a free, all-ages Halloween fundraiser at AutoFair Subaru, runs Saturday at noon with trick-or-treating through the cars.
Rowley: trick-or-treat is Saturday, 5:30-7:30 PM.

Kathleen's Tips for Halloween Night

Downtown Salem is extremely busy on Halloween night. Plan your parking and transport ahead: arrive early, expect lots to fill, and know how you will get home. Streets clear right after the drone finale ends at 10:30 PM, so have your departure planned for then.
Trick-or-treat hours are set by each town. Beverly posts 5-8 PM; Newburyport, West Newbury, Rowley, and Manchester-by-the-Sea post 5:30-7:30 PM. Only ring where the porch light is on, and use crosswalks.
Book ahead where tickets are involved. The Cut's Friday show is nearly sold out, and Salem's big events tighten up fast in the final weekend. Confirm on the organizers' official sites before you set off.
If you are staying for Salem's Halloween Night Finale, expect big crowds along the North River during the 10-10:30 PM show. Give yourselves room, dress warmly, and plan the walk back to the car or train.
Halloween-season schedules do shift. The Haunted Happenings official site and each town's pages are the places to confirm times before you head out.

Thinking of living here?

Thinking of Living Here?

Fall shows these towns at their liveliest, and the same energy that fills a downtown for trick-or-treat is the energy that makes these communities feel like home all year. Every town has its own market rhythm, and I know the differences. If a weekend out here has you wondering what it would be like to live in one of these coastal towns, call me at (978) 500-1480 or ask a question through the site. I will tell you what I really think.

Kathleen Militello, Realtor® · The Militello Team | eXp Realty

Ask Kathleen

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers to the practical questions this weekend keeps bringing up.

Key Takeaways

Salem closes Haunted Happenings with a 400-drone Halloween Night Finale over the North River, 10-10:30 PM on October 31; streets clear right after, so plan to depart at 10:30 PM.
Beverly's Halloween on the Hill at Long Hill runs its final night Friday, October 30, with more than 1,500 glowing hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns along the wooded trails.
Trick-or-treat hours are posted town by town: Beverly 5-8 PM; Newburyport, West Newbury, Rowley, and Manchester-by-the-Sea 5:30-7:30 PM.
Manchester-by-the-Sea's Halloween by the Sea fills Saturday with the Wobblin Goblin Parade, a pumpkin contest at the Town Common, a party at Memorial 5-6:30 PM, and trick-or-treat 5:30-7:30 PM.
Halloween-season schedules can shift, so confirm times and ticket availability on the official calendars before you head out.