Salem Chamber Haunted Happenings Parade celebrates “World Animal Day”

Salem Chamber Haunted Happenings Parade celebrates “World Animal Day”!

• Have you registered your float / school / marching band yet?
• Do you want to volunteer (looking for approximately 25 volunteers to help with line-up; all volunteers will march in the Parade!)
• Can you sponsor the parade to help defray the cost for police / entertainment?

“World Animal Day” is the theme for the 17th Annual Salem Chamber of Commerce Haunted Happenings Grand Parade on Thursday, October 4th, 2012.

It is a night-time tradition that brings out the entire city and people from all of the surrounding cities and towns to kick off the Halloween season. It is filled with color, pageantry, music and the enthusiasm of thousands of Salem’s students from kindergarten to college age and local business owners. If your business or school would like to participate in the parade please fill out the form and return it to the Salem Chamber of Commerce. (Please note the parade route is detailed in the forms below):

Business Form: Click here.
School Form: Click here.

World Animal Day is celebrated each year on October the 4th. It started in Florence, Italy in 1931 at a convention of ecologists. On this day, animal life in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned on locations all over the globe. The 4th of October was originally chosen for World Animal Day because it is the feast day of Francis of Assisi, a nature lover and patron saint of animals and the environment. However, World Animal Day has now gone beyond being the celebration of a Christian saint and is today observed by animal-lovers of all beliefs, nationalities and backgrounds. Animal rescue shelters hold fundraising events and open days, wildlife groups organize information displays, schools undertake animal-related project work and individuals and groups of friends or co-workers donate to animal charities or pledge to sponsor a shelter animal.

The choice of costumes for this year’s parade is endless, and schools and businesses are encouraged to expand on the theme’s positive message!

To help ensure the success of this event, the Salem Chamber is looking for volunteers and for financial support. Businesses willing to make a contribution to continue the tradition of keeping the parade exciting, family-friendly, and safe can contact the Salem Chamber of Commerce (info@salem-chamber.org / T.978-744-0004). And yes, if your employees want to participate in the Parade, we can always use the volunteers (between 5.30pm-8pm).

Salem Chamber Hosts Retailers Meeting

The Salem Chamber hosted a Retailers Meeting on Thursday, August 23, 2012, at the Eastern Bank Community room on Washington Street. In case you were unable to attend here is a short summary of what was covered.

The Essex Street Pedestrian Mall construction has begun: We are being told that the construction should end in late September just before the big Haunted Happenings push. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the construction crew will not experience any unexpected setbacks.

Open Late Initiative Pilot Program: The Salem Chamber along with Salem Main Streets and the City of Salem are piloting an open late program set for the first Friday of the month. This pilot program will run for three months, October 5, November 2, and December 7. Business who wish to participate must have some sort of entertainment provided in their store and should contact the Salem Chamber at 978-744-0004 for more information.

New Parking Plan Feedback: We received plenty of feedback from the guests in attendance, if you have any comments or observations about the new parking plan please let us know at info@salem-chamber.org.

Haunted Happenings: The annual Haunted Happenings Parade will kick off the holiday festivities again this year on Thursday October 4, 2012. This year’s theme is World Animal Day; we hope to see you there! For forms and more information please visit www.salem-chamber.org.

Peabody Essex Museum Construction Update: Jay Finney, Chief Marketing Officer, and Claudia Chuber, Director of Community Affairs, provided guests with an update of the Museums construction plan. The barriers along Essex Street which will block off room for a crane and other construction equipment is not being erected until November and should be removed by June of 2013. During this time PEM is looking at ways to make the barriers and panels have an artsy design that appeases the eye as well as provides information that pulls visitors down the Pedestrian Mall. The rest of the construction will be on interior buildings and should have little to no effect on the Pedestrian Mall along Essex Street. To sign up for updates directly from the PEM click here.