Criticism of Haunted Happenings
June 26, 2023 11:35 AM Subscribe
Has there been any criticism of Haunted Happenings, the annual street fair in Salem, for glorifying the witch trials or being in poor taste?
I’m writing a retrospective on the film Hocus Pocus for its 30th anniversary, and I’d like to include some background on the way Salem, Massachusetts has marketed their ties to the witch trials. I’ve heard some criticism from people I know who see it as being in poor taste just based on vibes, but when I search “haunted happenings criticism” I mostly find links to municipal issues like parking and noise. Has anyone written about the larger issues with having an annual festival based around a tragedy like the witch trials?
I’m writing a retrospective on the film Hocus Pocus for its 30th anniversary, and I’d like to include some background on the way Salem, Massachusetts has marketed their ties to the witch trials. I’ve heard some criticism from people I know who see it as being in poor taste just based on vibes, but when I search “haunted happenings criticism” I mostly find links to municipal issues like parking and noise. Has anyone written about the larger issues with having an annual festival based around a tragedy like the witch trials?
Best answer: This article from The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies is paywalled but sounds like it might be the kind of thing you're looking for Haunted Happenings and Hocus Pocus: Memorialization of the Salem Witch Trials—Is Salem Doing Enough? and it also has a nice list of references that may be useful.
Also here's an Al-Jazeera article from a few years ago that quotes people from surrounding towns also affected by the witch hysteria (e.g. Danvers, then known as Salem Village): For the roots of Salem witch hysteria, look at the next town over.
The Danvers Historical Society or the Danvers Archival Center might be able to point you in a useful direction.
posted by mskyle at 12:04 PM on June 26, 2023
Also here's an Al-Jazeera article from a few years ago that quotes people from surrounding towns also affected by the witch hysteria (e.g. Danvers, then known as Salem Village): For the roots of Salem witch hysteria, look at the next town over.
The Danvers Historical Society or the Danvers Archival Center might be able to point you in a useful direction.
posted by mskyle at 12:04 PM on June 26, 2023
Best answer: If you haven't read it, I highly recommend A Season with the Witch by J.W. Ocker! It's not exactly what you're looking for, but it does cover Salem's history of tourism (around the witch trials, but also maritime history and literary themes) and the various factions that play with or against each other in that field. It's been a minute since I read it, but I believe there are interviews with various stakeholders like Peabody Essex Museum curators, Haunted Happenings people, city government people, people from places with Danvers and/or Peabody-based witch trial-affiliated collections that kind of throw up their hands about the whole thing, etc.
posted by quatsch at 12:05 PM on June 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by quatsch at 12:05 PM on June 26, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: If you search "haunted happenings Salem controversy" there are some relevant-looking results.
posted by toastedcheese at 12:23 PM on June 26, 2023
posted by toastedcheese at 12:23 PM on June 26, 2023
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posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:01 PM on June 26, 2023