Halloween crowds are descending on Salem, Massachusetts, and parking spots were already filling up rapidly on Thursday morning. A record number of people are expected to visit the city throughout the day.
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It's Halloween Day in the Witch City, and crowds are already packing the streets. The weather also couldn't be more perfect for the pinnacle of "Haunted Happenings" in Salem, Massachusetts.
Creepy costumed visitors were already flooding the streets of downtown Salem by midmorning despite the smoke and smog from nearby brush fires in the air, which might have kept some witches from flying in for the festivities.
"There may have been some folks who saw the news about the brush fires and thought they might want to wait until the weekend to come visit," Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo said.
City officials are still expecting to beat last year's record of 1.2 million visitors. They're expecting a 6-7% increase for people... and the paranormal.
There's nothing frightening about the forecast for the next couple of days, with temperatures expected to be in the 70s.
Witches here in the city are brewing up a special ceremony just before Election Day. They'll be honoring fellow witch and adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had an affair with former President Donald Trump. They'll gather in a circle at 5 p.m. Thursday on Salem Common.
Whether you're here to just enjoy the weather or came decked out in your Halloween finest, city officials anticipate a whopping 80,000 visitors on Halloween Day alone. Since there are only about 4,000 public parking spaces in the city, they're asking people to use public transportation if they can.
