The traditions we have today for dressing up in witches costume to celebrate Halloween started long ago in the town of Salem, the Mecca for those interested in Halloween. The town gives itself over completely to celebrations come Halloween, and it is the most famous place in the world for witchcraft.
The town currently boasts 2,000 practising witches and to visit on this evening is quite special. Salem Haunted Happenings started in 1980 and now consists of a costume parade lasting 24 hours with hundreds of school children and marching bands. So make a wand, ask a witch a question, get yourself fitted out with some wtiches teeth and enter a past life.
There are an estimated half a million people who visit the event and you can start at the city's Downtown command centre where you pick up your program guide.
Traditional events are the candle light walking tour which lasts one hour usually led by an experienced Salem historian.
Then there is Boris Karloff's haunted house and Dracula's castle.
For more serious information there are several witch history museums which are set up for all year round visitors. Of course at Halloween they too add some extra touches to liven things up for a truly creepy evening.
The Salem Wax Museum of witches has rooms full of life sizes figures and downstairs, there is a hands on kids' area of a reformed london dungeon. Children can make grave rubbings.
The Salem witch museum runs a 30 minute audio visual display of the 1692 witch trials .
