For those who can’t wait for spooky season, the wait is almost over. Wicked New England has officially announced the return of its Halfway to Halloween Festival, bringing the spooky season back to the cobblestone streets of Salem, Massachusetts, on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Building on the massive success of its 2025 debut, this year’s festival is expanding. The event will once again take over both floors of the historic Old Town Hall—famously used as a filming location for Disney’s “Hocus Pocus”—and will creep out into Derby Square for the first time.
The 2026 lineup is a “Who’s Who” of New England horror and haunt culture:
- The Sanderson Connection: Meet the cast of “Hocus Pocus Live: An All-New Parody Musical” for photo ops inside the very hall where the movie’s iconic ballroom scene was filmed.
- A “Witchy” Celebrity: Salem’s own BORAH! The Witch, seen on America’s Got Talent, will be in attendance all day.
- The Debut of Heirloom Hallowe’en: This traveling museum makes its first-ever appearance, showcasing a hauntingly beautiful collection of antique jack-o’-lanterns, vintage paper decorations, and historic party games.
The Old Town Hall stage will be packed with live demonstrations and discussions from the industry’s best:
- Mass Wedding Vow Renewal: Hosted by BORAH! and Salem’s Black Hat Society, couples (and fans) can participate in a massive, spooky public ceremony.
- DIY Haunts: Learn the secrets of the trade from the legendary Barrett’s Haunted Mansion.
- True Ghost Stories: Listen to real-life paranormal encounters shared by the Wicked Ghost Hunters.
- Regional Guides: Discover the best family-friendly haunts with Halloween New England.
The Marketplace features vendors from every New England state and beyond, offering spooky, scary, macabre, and Halloween-themed merchandise for all to enjoy. From apparel to candles, jewelry, decorations, artwork, pet accessories, bath goods, apothecary items, and more, every Halloween-loving guest is sure to find something to take home.
New for 2026: In a nod to tradition, children can trick-or-treat directly from participating vendors. Free trick-or-treat bags will be provided at the entrance!
The festival runs from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm. While Derby Square offerings are free to the public, tickets are required for the main event inside Old Town Hall.
- General Admission: Access to both floors of the festival and all stage presentations.
- VIP Admission: Includes a curated gift bag, an event souvenir, and an exclusive opportunity to join a future ghost hunt with the Wicked Ghost Hunters.
- Family-Friendly: Children ages 4 and under attend free with a paid adult.
“With the success of the first Wicked New England event in 2025, I want to continue to grow, celebrate, and shine a light on what New England has to offer during the Halloween season,” states Wicked New England founder and producer Jeff DePaoli. “Halloween is a special day wherever you live. But I believe Halloween in New England holds a bit of extra magic. There’s a reason why so much media we consume tied to the holiday is often set in New England. I hope everyone who attends gets an early touch of that magical feeling as we celebrate halfway to Halloween.”
This event is produced under DePaoli’s depaolEVENTS label and is being sponsored by Witch City Walking Tours and Witch City Broom Co.
For tickets and the full schedule of events and offerings, visit WickedNewEngland.info.
