Salem, MA · Holiday Season 2026 · Holiday Happenings
Salem for the Holidays
Salem doesn't pack the witch hats away on November 1st. Downtown turns over into Holiday Happenings — a season of programming from Salem Main Streets that runs from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve. Tree lighting, holiday markets, lit-up shop windows the length of Essex Street, and the museums and ghost tours still running, minus the October crowds.
The signature dates: Santa's arrival and the tree lighting on Friday, Nov 27, Wassail Weekend across downtown Dec 12–13, the Ghost Ship Yule Market at Old Town Hall on Dec 19, and New Year's Eve LAUNCH! at Artists' Row. For the full walk-through, read the guide to Salem in December.
When
Nov 27 – Dec 31
Holiday Happenings opens the day after Thanksgiving and runs through New Year's Eve.
No crowds
Walk in anywhere
Restaurants take walk-ins, tours have same-week availability, and parking is findable — the opposite of October.
Still open
History runs year-round
Witch-trial sites, museums and ghost tours all operate through the winter on seasonal hours.
Shopping the season
Salem is a city of independent shops, which makes the holiday markets and the Window Contest more than decoration — Small Business Saturday, the Holiday Marketplace at Finz, and the Ghost Ship Yule Market are all built around makers and local stores. The directory has every shop in town with hours and addresses.
Planning a December trip to Salem
December is the mirror image of October. The same museums, the same witch-trial sites, the same ghost tours — but you can get a table, get a tour, and stand in front of a collection without a queue behind you. Take the MBTA Commuter Rail from Boston's North Station (about 30 minutes) if you'd rather skip driving entirely, check winter hours before you go since many venues shorten them after Halloween, and aim for a Saturday if you want the markets and the downtown programming rather than a quiet weekday.
Salem holiday events
- Bingo
Thu, Nov 19 · 8 PM
Music Video Bingo
Music Video Bingo at Brodie's Seaport every Thursday at 8 PM, hosted by ND Productions — bingo played off music videos rather than numbers.
- Cinema
- Holiday
Fri, Nov 27 · 12 PM
Holiday Happenings
at Downtown Salem
Holiday Happenings in downtown Salem — presented by Salem Main Streets.
- Holiday
Fri, Nov 27 · 5:45 PM
Santa’s Arrival & Holiday Tree Lighting
at Downtown Salem
Santa’s Arrival & Holiday Tree Lighting in downtown Salem — presented by Salem Main Streets.
- Festival
Sat, Nov 28 · 8 AM
Small Business Saturday
at Downtown Salem
Small Business Saturday in downtown Salem — presented by Salem Main Streets.
-
Sat, Nov 28 · 11 AM
9th Annual Holiday Marketplace
at Finz Salem
An assortment of handmade craft items and local artisan products will be available. A cash bar will also be available. Hosted by Finz Seafood & Grill and Sea Level Oyster Bar.
- Holiday
Fri, Dec 4 · 12 PM
Holiday Window Contest
at Downtown Salem
Holiday Window Contest in downtown Salem — presented by Salem Main Streets.
- Live Music
Sat, Dec 5 · 7 PM
Mike McGeown Band
at Mercy Tavern
Mike McGeown Band plays Mercy Tavern on the first Saturday of every month at 7 PM. All are welcome.
- Holiday
Sat, Dec 12 · 9 AM
Wassail Weekend
at Downtown Salem
Wassail Weekend in downtown Salem — presented by Salem Main Streets.
- Market
- Holiday
Thu, Dec 31 · 4:30 PM
New Year’s Eve LAUNCH!
at Artists’ Row
New Year’s Eve LAUNCH! in downtown Salem — presented by Salem Main Streets.
- Live Music
Sat, Jan 2 · 7 PM
Mike McGeown Band
at Mercy Tavern
Mike McGeown Band plays Mercy Tavern on the first Saturday of every month at 7 PM. All are welcome.
Salem in December — frequently asked questions
What is there to do in Salem, MA in December? +
Downtown runs a season of holiday programming called Holiday Happenings, presented by Salem Main Streets, from late November through New Year's Eve. The anchors are Santa's arrival and the tree lighting the day after Thanksgiving, the month-long Holiday Window Contest, Wassail Weekend in mid-December, the Ghost Ship Yule Market at Old Town Hall, and New Year's Eve LAUNCH! at Artists' Row. Salem's museums, witch-history sites and ghost tours all stay open through the winter.
Is Salem worth visiting in December? +
Salem in December is a completely different city from Salem in October. The museums, ghost tours and historic houses all keep running, but without the month-long crowds — restaurants take walk-ins, tours often have same-week availability, and parking is genuinely findable. If you want the history and the atmosphere without the queues, December is the easy month.
When is the Salem tree lighting in 2026? +
Santa's Arrival & Holiday Tree Lighting is Friday, November 27, 2026 — the day after Thanksgiving. Santa arrives at the top of the Hawthorne Hotel at 6 PM with the Salem Fire Department; organisers suggest being on Salem Common by 5:45 PM. A procession then heads down the Essex Street pedestrian mall to Lappin Park, beside the Bewitched statue, for the lighting with the Mayor and carolers.
What is Wassail Weekend in Salem? +
Wassail Weekend is two days of holiday events across downtown Salem, running Saturday and Sunday, December 12–13, 2026. Participating shops, studios, breweries and distilleries run tastings, in-store refreshments, sales and one-off events. Past years have also included the Festivus 5K at Pickering Wharf.
What is the Ghost Ship Yule Market? +
Ghost Ship is an alternative-artist holiday market that takes over Old Town Hall — Salem's oldest surviving municipal building — on Saturday, December 19, 2026, from 10 AM to 5 PM. It's a darker, handmade take on a Christmas market, and the closest thing Salem has to a holiday market that could only exist here.
Are Salem ghost tours and museums open in December? +
Yes. Most ghost tours, witch history sites and museums run year-round rather than closing after Halloween, and winter hours are usually the only difference. Check the individual venue page for current hours before you go.