SALEM — The stars are aligned this year for what could be the largest crowds in the 28-year history of Haunted Happenings.
With Halloween falling on a Saturday and mild weather predicted — along with possible showers — the city is bracing for a costumed invasion.
"The crowd, on a warm night, could be over 100,000 people," said police Capt. Brian Gilligan, who is in charge of the annual event.
Thousands of visitors are also expected tomorrow night and Sunday, which could make this weekend one for the record books.
"Obviously, the challenge this year is two nights in a row," police Chief Paul Tucker said. "It's a 48-hour ramp-up."
"This is a very weather-oriented event," Gilligan said during a press briefing yesterday. "I anticipate the crowds will be very heavy Friday night. ... I won't be surprised if there are 25,000 to 30,000 people here."
Police say they're ready, having honed their crowd-control skills over past years.
A force of anywhere from 150 to 200 personnel will be on hand Halloween night, with officers coming from the Essex County Sheriff's Department and cities and towns around the region. A large but scaled-back force will be on duty tomorrow evening.
Although the Boston Mounted Police, a fixture at this event, have been disbanded, they will be replaced by eight to 10 horses from a Plymouth County mounted police unit.
For the first time, Salem police will have a helicopter in the sky to help with traffic and crowd control. The private helicopter is being supplied by an anonymous donor, police said.
Police will split the city into five sections on Halloween night, each with a separate force of patrolmen, detectives, motorcycle officers, dog units and officers with pepper-ball guns.
For the second year, penalties for disorderly conduct, drinking in public and other offenses will be tripled for the weekend, which could bring fines as high as $300.
The rapid response team, a specially trained tactical unit from the North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC), will be on hand in case trouble arises and to help clear the crowds at the end of the evening.
Gilligan said they are taking all these precautions, as they have in past years, to make sure Halloween remains a family event. While there have been a few serious incidents in recent years, most have been minor.
Police made 31 arrests last year and responded to 492 calls over the course of the day. They also confiscated dozens of swords, axes and knives, some toy and some real.
"People are very often armed with really scary weapons," Gilligan said.
The city has gone to great lengths to keep the crowds entertained this weekend. In addition to the Fiesta Shows carnival rides, there will be disc jockeys on Derby Street and Salem Common and bands on Front Street and Hawthorne Boulevard.
"It's always been our position if you don't give people something to do, it's going to be a long night for the police," Gilligan said.
The rock station Radio 92.9 is sponsoring the main event on Halloween, a concert at the top of Washington Street, between Federal and Bridge streets. The opening act kicks off at 7:30 p.m. followed by the headliners, the Dancing Nancy Band, at 9 p.m.
Festivities conclude at 10:45 p.m. with fireworks over the North River.
Gilligan said police have found that an "attention-grabbing" event and fireworks at the end of the evening get across the message that Halloween is over and help move crowds toward the commuter rail station.
The event commander has some advice for anyone coming to Salem on Halloween day.
"Get here early," he said. "Don't come at 10 o'clock at night and think you're going to be able to get into an event, a restaurant or a bar. This event is geared toward ending at 11 o'clock. If you come late, you're going to be very disappointed."
Mayor Kim Driscoll had her own Halloween wish.
"Pray for rain around 8:30 p.m.," she said with a grin. "That's always our backup plan."
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