Nearly 3,000 witches gather in Salem to break macabre world record in spooky stunt

Last weekend, more than 2,700 “witches” gathered in Salem, MA in a world record attempt for the most witch hats worn at once.While the official jury is still out from the Guinness Book of World Records, there was no doubt that throngs of witches showed up for the charity event commemorating the area’s 400th anniversary.But while Salem’s history is notoriously a bit macabre, the vibe there today is anything but somber.And in spite of an uptick in visitors this time of year, full-time residents say it’s the vibrant community that lured them in and keeps them entranced.Massive crowds in spooky attire are nothing new for Salem’s residents.

In fact, if history repeats, this October there will be around a million more Halloween fun-hunters descending upon “Witch City” (Salem’s nicknamed nod to the infamous witch trials of 1692).“Life in Salem is magical and I personally enjoy the influx of crowds during Halloween because I was among them 25 years ago,” says Luisa Cornish, who first visited Salem on vacation and immediately knew she wanted to live there someday.“We dropped by Salem because I was a huge ‘Bewitched’ fan, but the town was so warm and welcoming I didn’t want to leave!”Now she’s not only a been a resident for 12 years, but she’s also the program manager for the annual Salem Horror Festival.“The Horrorfest draws in such a large crowd to Salem and they end up falling in love with the town just like I did,” says Cornish.

“I was born and raised in Texas, but I knew I belonged in Salem.”Transplants like Cornish are quick to point out, however, that Salem is about much more than just witches and haunted happenings.Located about 16 miles (30 minutes) north of Boston and set on the Atlantic Ocean, Salem actually has a rich maritime history in addition to its witchy history.In fact, it was a major shipping trade hub in the 19th century, and its 18.5-miles long tidal shoreline includes seven public beaches.“Salem is so much...