Grab Your Witch Hat: Salem Is Calling All Witches for a Huge 400th-Anniversary Photo

Quick Facts: Salem Is Calling All Witches

• Witch Hats on the Wharf takes place on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 11 AM to noon at Derby Wharf in Salem, Massachusetts.

• Visitors are invited to wear their favorite witch hat and join hundreds, potentially thousands, of other witches for a massive drone photo celebrating Salem’s 400th anniversary.

• The event is being hosted by the City of Salem, Salem Maritime National Historical Park, and Destination Salem as part of the city’s anniversary celebrations.

• There’s currently no ticket or advance registration listed, so all you really need to do is show up with a witch hat and be ready for the photo.

• Guinness isn't certifying anything, since organizers haven't contacted the record-keeper, so this is a celebration rather than an official record.

• About 100,000 visitors arrive in Salem every October weekend, so plan for crowds, traffic and packed trains.

• Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which makes October 31 the busiest day of an already busy month.

• The New England Pirate Museum is a short walk away at 274 Derby Street and stays open until 6 p.m. that day.

Salem's 400th Birthday Portrait

The concept behind Witch Hats on the Wharf is wonderfully uncomplicated. Put on a witch hat, head to Derby Wharf, join the crowd along the waterfront, and look up while a drone captures the whole scene from above.

The gathering is part of Salem's yearlong celebration marking 400 years since its founding, a milestone the city has been preparing for for more than a decade. Mayor Dominick Pangallo told Boston.com that one piece of that effort has been the Signature Parks initiative, which has restored and preserved several of Salem's historic public spaces.

That makes Derby Wharf a fitting setting for the anniversary portrait. Rather than packing everyone onto Essex Street, where October crowds already tend to move shoulder to shoulder, the event gives visitors a reason to head toward the waterfront and explore more of the city's parks. Pangallo said he hopes the gathering does exactly that, and honestly, a harbor view beats a sidewalk jam every time.

The little 1871 Derby Wharf Light Station marks the end of the wharf, so picture it surrounded by witch hats on Oct. 17.

So, Is Salem Actually Trying to Break a World Record?

Destination Salem is calling Witch Hats on the Wharf a world record attempt, and local outlets have picked up the idea that Salem could pull off the largest gathering of people in witch hats. It’s a great hook, and very on-brand for Salem.

But there won’t be a Guinness judge standing on the dock counting hats. Destination Salem executive director Ashley Judge told Boston.com that organizers haven’t contacted Guinness World Records. The real goal is to get as many people together as possible for one memorable photo, which honestly sounds more fun anyway.

Record or not, a wharf full of witches is the whole point. Bring your most dramatic brim to Derby Wharf on Oct. 17.

Witch Hats That Give Back

The City of Salem is also selling special-edition Salem 400 witch hats, with proceeds going to HAWC, a local nonprofit that supports survivors of domestic abuse. HAWC serves more than 2,500 families across the North Shore each year, with services ranging from emergency shelter and legal advocacy to support groups and children’s programs. So yes, this is a giant witch-hat photo, but there’s a genuinely good cause behind part of it too. Pricing and sales locations hadn’t been announced at the time of writing.

And if you want something a little more elaborate than the official version, Salem has no shortage of options. Local hatmakers go all in for October, with some shops preparing hundreds of handmade hats for the season. You can also donate directly to HAWC through the official Witch Hats on the Wharf event page, even if you already have the perfect hat sitting at home. If ever there were a place to justify buying an unnecessarily dramatic witch hat, though, this is it.

No hat yet? Special-edition Salem 400 witch hats support HAWC, a Salem nonprofit helping survivors of domestic abuse.

How to Make a Day of It

The photo happens from 11 a.m. to noon at Derby Wharf, 160 Derby Street, inside Salem Maritime National Historical Park. The City of Salem, the national park and Destination Salem are co-hosting, and joining is free. Once the photo wraps, you’ve got the rest of the day to explore Salem, and it’s easy to turn the event into a full fall day around the city. Here’s how we’d do it:

• Make a full day of it with stops at the Witch House, Salem Maritime, the New England Pirate Museum, waterfront shops and restaurants, and other Haunted Happenings events around the city.

• Arrive early, since October weekends can bring huge crowds and the walk down Derby Street fills up fast.

• Stay in Boston and take the train in, which is exactly how our Halloween getaway to Boston and Salem avoids Salem’s often sold-out October hotels.

• Dress for the harbor, where wind off the water can turn a witch hat into a surprisingly high-maintenance accessory.

• Stay for the afternoon, especially if you want time for the waterfront, a museum stop, food, and a few of Salem’s historic sites without rushing.

• Save October 31 for the brave, since Halloween falls on a Saturday this year and usually brings some of the biggest crowds of the season.

The Witch House is one of Salem’s most recognizable landmarks and one of the few surviving buildings with direct ties to the 1692 witch trials. It was once home to Judge Jonathan Corwin, who served as a magistrate during the trials.

Salem has had 400 years to perfect its October, and this might be the most charming idea it's tried yet. It's free, it helps a local cause, and it gets you to the waterfront side of a city most visitors only see from Essex Street. Bring a hat that fits snugly, wave at the drone, and then go find a lobster roll.

Frequently Asked Questions: Salem Witch Hats on the Wharf

When is Witch Hats on the Wharf in Salem?

It's on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 11 a.m. to noon. The drone photo happens within that one-hour window, so arriving early is smart.

Where is the Salem witch hat drone photo taking place?

It's at Derby Wharf, 160 Derby Street, inside Salem Maritime National Historical Park. The wharf is on the waterfront, a short walk from downtown Salem.

Does it cost anything to join the witch hat photo?

Joining is free. You just need a witch hat, and the city is selling special-edition Salem 400 hats that benefit HAWC.

Is Salem trying to set a Guinness World Record?

Not officially. Organizers call it a record attempt, but Destination Salem told Boston.com it hasn't contacted Guinness World Records to certify it.

Where can I buy a witch hat in Salem?

The City of Salem is selling special-edition Salem 400 witch hats, with proceeds going to HAWC. Local shops like Salem Bespoke Boutique also sell handmade hats during the Halloween season.

What else is there to do near Derby Wharf?

The Custom House, the Derby Wharf Light Station and the Friendship of Salem are all part of the national park. The New England Pirate Museum and the Witch House are within walking distance.

How crowded is Salem in October?

Very. Roughly 100,000 visitors arrive each October weekend and about 1.5 million come over the Halloween season, so plan ahead and consider the train.