SALEM | You've got a fabulous costume this Halloween, so where to go to be the belle -- or beast -- of the ball?
Salem plays host to several costume balls during the spooky season, so whether you want to go frugal or fancy, there's an event for you.
The Salem Jazz Festival presents its first Halloween extravaganza this year, offering a laid-back concert-like atmosphere. Then there's the Hawthorne Hotel's ball, a Haunted Happenings staple for more than 20 years and featuring some serious costumes. Other events fall somewhere between the two extremes.
Here's a breakdown of costume balls sweeping through Salem this Halloween:
Salem Jazz and Soul Festival Halloween Costume Ball
What: Features live music with Michigan Blacksnake, Eric Reardon, and Sarah Seminski, prizes for best costume, and cash bar.
When: Saturday, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 94 Washington Square.
How: Tickets are $10. Visit www.salemjazzsoul.com. Proceeds benefit music education in Salem schools.
The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival is throwing its first-ever Costume Ball this weekend. This benefit ball serves as the final fund-raiser for the festival, which started this summer, as well as for Salem schools.
In an effort to throw a memorable end-of-the-year bash, organizer Matt Caruso of the Salem Jazz and Soul Festival wanted to blend in with "the way things are in Salem" this time of year, he says.
What sets this one apart from other costume balls? For one, it's earlier and the ticket price is lower.
Also, Caruso says this one is very focused on the music. Headlining is funk, rock, and soul band Michigan Blacksnake.
Guests are encouraged to come in costume, but the pressure's not on; this is more of a concert.
"People can feel comfortable to come however they want," Caruso said.
But if you do dress up, it's worth it; the ball will offer six prizes, all bags filled with Jazz and Soul Festival gear, gift certificates to local restaurants, and more.
The Vampires' Masquerade Ball
What: Includes music by Goth DJ Addambombb, hors d'oeuvres, fashion show featuring clothes from the Fool's Mansion in Salem, and performances by The Black Cat Burlesque and tribal dancer Dark Euphoria.
When: Thursday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the Hawthorne Hotel, 18 Washington Square.
How: Tickets are $95. Call 800-595-4TIX or visit www.festivalofthedead.com. Must be 21.
The Vampires' Masquerade Ball started in 2004 as a somewhat controversial event with a focus on vampires, offering a "saucy, sexy look at death," says organizer Christian Day.
The ball, aimed at the adult crowd, has since simmered down, but still has some of it's original appeal.
"Everything is a little stylish, a little sultry," Day says.
The Official Salem Witches Halloween Ball
What: Includes live performance by Fiona Horne, Goth DJ Addambombb, and drumming troupe The Dragon Ritual Drummers, along with psychic readings, hors d'oeurves, a free witches' almanac for all, gift bags for the first 100 guests, and the Magic Circle celebration honoring the dead.
When: Friday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the Hawthorne Hotel.
How: Tickets are $95. Call 800-595-4TIX or visit www.festivalofthedead.com. Must be 18.
This ball, organized by Salem's witch community, is extravagant and upscale.
"It's going to be like attending a party at the Hamptons," says organizer Christian Day.
The Witches Ball, which started in 1995, was on hiatus from 1999 through 2001 and was resurrected in 2002, is "an over-the-top extravaganza," Day adds.
The focus is not only on Halloween, Day explains, but also on Samhain, a celebration of the end of harvest season.
"It's a time when things are dying and we recognize our dead," says Day. "It's a very magical time, but it's also meant to be festive."
The costume-wearing is taken very seriously. Day says some people start preparing their costume as far as a year in advance.
The Bridget Bishop Ball
What: Includes prize for best Bridget Bishop costume and live music with the Brian Maes Band
When: Saturday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m. to midnight at the Lyceum Bar and Grill, 43 Church St.
How: Tickets are $45. Call 978-745-7665 or visit www.lyceumsalem.com.
Get a dose of spooky Salem history at the Lyceum's first Bridget Bishop Ball. This ball focuses on the first woman executed during the witchcraft trials in 1692.
And it could get seriously spooky.
"The Lyceum is actually built on the land that Bridget Bishop lived on and it's rumored she haunts the restaurant," says Lyceum catering sales manager Elizabeth Brewin.
The Hawthorne Hotel's Annual Costume Ball
When: Saturday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m. to midnight at the Hawthorne Hotel.
How: Tickets are $85. Call 800-729-7829 or visit www.hawthornehotel.com. Must be 21.
What: Includes three floors of entertainment, live music with HUSH, a t-shirt and for guests photo, costume contest with cash prizes, and food.
The Hawthorne Hotel opens seven rooms up for costumed guests during the annual ball, which has been taking place for more than 20 years. This year's theme is "Ship of Ghouls."
"The Hawthorne Hotel is getting turned into a giant ship-themed haunted hotel," says hotel general manager Judi Lederhaus.
The ball offers a blend of live entertainment, too. The ballroom will host a live band, and other rooms will have DJs.
"We have a mobbed crowd scene, but if you want something a little more intimate and personal, you can get a different atmosphere," Lederhaus said.
The ball always sells out, Lederhaus says, and tickets are going fast this year, so make your reservations fast.
Lifestyle
Related Photos
Discussion
The Salem News has a real-name policy for commenting. Users may sign in using the Facebook Connect tool above the comments field. Once your first comment is posted by a moderator, all future comments will post automatically. If you prefer not to use Facebook, send an e-mail with your comments user name (which must be the same as your real name), city or town, street address and daytime phone number to comments@salemnews.com. A staff member will contact you directly to confirm your identity. It may take a day or two before you can post comments. Only your user name will be public. All users are required to follow our rules for commenting, which can be found here.
October 18, 2007
Parties provide venues to try on new identity in Salem
- Lifestyle
-
-
Pet Connection: How to prevent a lost-pet crisis
Tonka, a beloved Jack Russell terrier and member of a Salem family, disappeared on Halloween while his owners were giving out treats and getting their kids into costumes for trick-or-treating.
The devastated parents called the veterinary practice, Animal Control Officer Donald Famico and the Salem police to see if any lost animals had been turned in. Very little sleep was achieved that night. Mom and dad scoured the neighborhood looking for Tonka and contacted everyone they knew to help them find him. They had no idea if Tonka had been lost or stolen. The next morning, their young children were so enraptured with their Halloween candy they did not notice Tonka was missing, and their wise mother got them off to school calmly without distressing them with the bad news. Then she went back about her search. - The Buzz Many wish people were more like dogs It seems some people are not dreaming of getting a puppy as a Valentine's Day gift, but rather wishing their human mates were more like a dog. And their dogs are helping them look for mates! According to an American Kennel Club survey:
- Don't fret over dog park snub: Don't fret over dog park snub Q: I'm trying not to take it personally, but my feelings are hurt. This morning when I showed up at the park where neighborhood dogs and their owners gather every day, there was one woman standing there with her dog, Daisy, a West Highland terrier. Her dog ran over to my dog, greeting us warmly. Daisy's owner was not so sunny. She responded to my bright "good morning" with a question: "Where is everybody?" She made me feel invisible. I felt like saying something nasty to her. Suddenly, my dog group feels like high school. Am I not in the popular crowd?
- Dear Abby: Savings bond gift matures into mother/daughter battle Dear Abby: I'm 30 years old and have a close relationship with my mother, but something is bothering me. When I was a little girl, my grandmother gave me a U.S. savings bond for my birthday. It has matured to its full value. My mother refuses to give it to me. She said that my grandmother intended it as a wedding gift.
- North Shore religion news in brief After 40 years of service to the church, the Rev. Canon Jurgen Liias, founding rector of Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church in Danvers, will retire following the 10:30 a.m. service on Sunday, Feb. 5. The Rev. Tim Clayton will be installed as rector of Christ the Redeemer this spring. During the interim, the Rev. Brian Barry will serve as priest-in-charge. There will be a celebration of Liias' ministry on Saturday, April 14, with a luncheon at the Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott St., Danvers. Tickets may be obtained by calling 978-774-3163.
-
North Shore religion calendar
Sunday, Feb. 5
Celebrating Foreign Missions, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tabernacle Church, 50 Washington St., Salem. Join church members and guests to celebrate and commemorate the ordaining and commissioning of the first missionaries who left America in 1812 for foreign missions. Speaker: the Rev. Liz Walker, ordained minister and award-winning television journalist. 10 a.m., service, honor church's missionaries from 1812; 1 to 3 p.m., historical artifacts display; 1 to 2:30 p.m., re-enactment of missionary's wife, Ann Haseltine Judson. 978-755-3164 or www.tabernaclechurch.org. -
New England Blues Festival returns to Salisbury
For some, the blues season ends in September.
Nick David is working to change that.
For the third year, David, leader of the blues band Mr. Nick & The Dirty Tricks, is bringing the New England Winter Blues Festival to the Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury. Four bands will perform on Saturday, Feb. 11, beginning at 8 p.m. - Don't eat those mushrooms Q: I have suddenly noticed a crop of mushrooms growing in one of my larger potted plants. The plant was outside all summer and then brought in in September. Two questions: Can I eat them? And will the fact that they are growing in the pot hurt the plant?
-
Dear Abby: Bride wants to keep friend's lecherous husband off guest list
Dear Abby: Over the years I've stayed in touch with my childhood best friend, "Claire." We talk a few times a year and I attended her wedding 10 years ago.
In the intervening years, her husband, "Kirk," has cheated on her multiple times and was once arrested by an undercover cop when he tried to meet a 14-year-old for a sexual liaison. -
Quick picks
Sunday afternoon concert
The Salem Philharmonic's 2012 season will come to an end Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in the Salem High School auditorium, 77 Willson St. The concert will feature tenor Giovanni Formisano and the Paul Madore Chorale. Formisano, who most recently appeared in the world premiere of "The Picture of Dorian Gray" with the Longwood Opera Company, will perform his favorite arias by Donizette, Gounod and Puccini, among others. The Paul Madore Chorale will join the orchestra for a performance of American composer Randol Alan Bass' "Gloria." The Salem High School Orchestra will also join the Philharmonic for a joint performance of Shostakovich's Waltz No. 2 and Symphonic Dances from "Fiddler on the Roof." Admission is free. For more information, visit salemphilharmonic.org. - More Lifestyle Headlines
-
Pet Connection: How to prevent a lost-pet crisis
Tonka, a beloved Jack Russell terrier and member of a Salem family, disappeared on Halloween while his owners were giving out treats and getting their kids into costumes for trick-or-treating.
