Salem Turns 400: The City's Quadricentennial and How to Celebrate in 2026

This year, Salem turns 400. Four centuries ago, in 1626, a small band of English settlers led by Roger Conant put down roots here — and the city has spent 2026 throwing itself a year-long birthday party under the banner Salem 400+.

That little ”+” matters. Long before 1626, this was Naumkeag — “the fishing place” — home to the Naumkeag people for thousands of years. The official commemoration deliberately keeps the plus sign to honor the Indigenous history that predates the founding, and to look past Salem’s most infamous chapter toward the many communities that actually built the city.

Salem’s 400 years, in brief

It’s a bigger story than the witch trials — though those are in it too:

• 1626 — Founding. Roger Conant leads settlers from Cape Ann to Naumkeag. Around 1629 the settlement is renamed Salem, from the Hebrew shalom, “peace” — an irony history would test.
• 1692 — The Witch Trials. For a single terrible year, Salem becomes synonymous with hysteria and injustice. Twenty people are executed. (Read the real story: were the “witches” burned at the stake? and every 1692 site you can still visit.)
• 1790s–1800s — The Maritime Golden Age. Salem becomes one of the richest ports in the young United States, its ships trading as far as China and the East Indies. For a time it’s among the wealthiest cities per capita in America — a legacy you can still walk at Salem Maritime.
• 1800s–1900s — Literature and industry. Native son Nathaniel Hawthorne writes The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables here; the city reinvents itself through the industrial age.
• Today — Witch City. Salem embraces its history — the somber and the theatrical alike — and welcomes visitors year-round.

What’s happening for Salem 400+ in 2026

The official Salem 400+ celebration runs all year. The signature moments:

• Heritage Days Festival — August 1–9. Salem’s beloved Heritage Days returns in full for the quadricentennial. It opens Saturday, August 1 with the Heritage Days Parade (kicking off around 10 a.m.) — the city’s first major parade of its kind in more than 30 years, themed “Salem Through the Centuries” and marching Salem’s history in order, from its Indigenous roots to the present. The daylong festival follows at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on Derby Street with food trucks, an artisan market, music, and family activities.
• Haunted Happenings — all October. Salem’s legendary month-long Halloween celebration takes on extra meaning in the 400th year, with parades, tours, costume events, and haunted attractions across the city.
• Museum & cultural programming. The Peabody Essex Museum and other institutions are mounting special exhibits and events tied to the anniversary throughout the year.
• Legacy projects. Beyond the parties, Salem 400+ includes a Signature Parks Initiative improving six public parks, and a Century Trees Program planting 400 trees for the next generation.

The Heritage Days weekend: July 31–August 2

The first big set-piece of the quadricentennial lands the opening weekend of August, as the tall ship Pride of Baltimore II sails into Salem Harbor and the beloved Heritage Days Parade returns in force. Here’s how the weekend unfolds.

Friday, July 31 — the Pride of Baltimore II arrives

At 1:00 p.m., the community is invited to Central Wharf (160 Derby Street) for a free, family-friendly Public Dockside Welcome as the historic tall ship makes her arrival. Mayor Dominick Pangallo and other dignitaries will be on hand to greet the crew, and commemorative mini Salem 400+ flags will be handed out as mementos. The welcome kicks off a weekend of joint Salem 400+ and America’s 250th programming.

That evening at 5:00 p.m., Salem 400+ hosts the Seaside Soirée — a ticketed cocktail fundraiser aboard the Pride II. The limited-capacity event features gourmet hors d’oeuvres by Ferreira Foods, two complimentary signature cocktails, and a cash bar on the deck of one of the East Coast’s most storied replica vessels. Built in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor in 1988, Pride II faithfully reproduces the sharp-built Baltimore Clippers that made their name as privateers during the War of 1812. Tickets are on sale through the Salem Chamber and going fast.

Saturday, August 1 — the Heritage Days Parade

The Heritage Days Parade steps off at 10:00 a.m., shaping up as a throwback to the parade’s 1990s heyday with over 70 organizations signed up to march — several marching bands and the Aleppo Shriners alongside community groups, local businesses, and civic organizations.

“We are delighted with the turnout of parade participants, but now it is up to everyone else!” said parade organizer Virginia Cherol. “We can’t have a parade marching down empty streets — we want everyone to come out and cheer for our community!”

The route assembles at the Salem State University O’Keefe Sports Complex (225 Canal Street), marches up Lafayette Street, turns right onto Derby Street, and ends at Salem Maritime National Historical Park. Spectators are encouraged to arrive early, bring the family, and claim a spot anywhere along Lafayette or Derby Street — the more people cheering from the curb, the bigger the celebration.

Bring a camera or phone and capture the day, from the marchers and bands to the crowds cheering them on — favorite shots can be entered in the Historic Salem Inc. Salem 400+ photo contest, open through August 15.

The Heritage Days Festival & Cardboard Boat Regatta

Once the last marchers reach Salem Maritime, the Heritage Days Festival takes over from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, celebrating both Salem’s 400th and America’s 250th. The 4th annual Cardboard Boat Regatta launches at 1:00 p.m., when homemade cardboard vessels take to the water for a delightfully unpredictable community competition. Step aboard the Pride of Baltimore II, learn from historic artisans, explore the food trucks, and more.

Sunday, August 2 — free ship tours

The weekend closes with the Pride of Baltimore II open for free public tours from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The weekend at a glance:

• Fri, July 31, 1:00 p.m. — Public Dockside Welcome for the Pride of Baltimore II, Central Wharf (free)
• Fri, July 31, 5:00 p.m. — Seaside Soirée aboard the Pride II (ticketed)
• Sat, August 1, 10:00 a.m. — Heritage Days Parade, O’Keefe Sports Complex → Derby Wharf (free)
• Sat, August 1, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. — Heritage Days Festival at Salem Maritime, Cardboard Boat Regatta at 1:00 p.m. (free)
• Sun, August 2, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. — Pride of Baltimore II free public tours

The Heritage Days Parade and Festival is a partnership between Salem Maritime National Historical Park and the City of Salem.

Be part of it

A 400th birthday only comes once. Whether you’re here for the August parade, an autumn weekend, or Haunted Happenings in October, 2026 is the year to see Salem lean into all four centuries of its story at once.

Plan your trip with our live Salem events calendar, book a walking or trolley tour to hear the history first-hand, dig into the true history behind Witch City, and browse the full directory of Salem’s sights, museums, and landmarks. Four hundred years in — Salem is just getting started.

Salem 400+ logo courtesy of the official Salem 400+ commemoration (salem400.org). Event dates are drawn from official sources and may change — confirm details before you go.