Escaping the Salem Crowds:

Halloween Fun Closer to Home

Family-friendly October events in the quieter North Shore towns

By Michelle Gaudette, REALTOR® | Homes with Michelle G | Keller Williams Evolution Realty

Living in Lynnfield and on the North Shore, you know Salem is the Halloween Capital of the World. Which mean the roads bringing you in and out of Salem are a slow crawl, and a “quick trip” stops being a thing until November. We love our Witch City neighbors, but plenty of us locals quietly plan our whole October around staying clear.

The good news: you do not have to fight the crowds to give your family a memorable Fall-Halloween season. Some of the best fall traditions on the North Shore are happening just a few minutes away in Beverly, Danvers, Peabody, Marblehead, Topsfield, and Ipswich (plus one bonus farm just beyond the North Shore), with easier parking, shorter lines, and that small-town feel that makes north of Boston such a special place to call home.

Here are a few of my favorite close-to-home picks for October 2026.

Beverly

Halloween on the Hill at Long Hill

Long Hill, 572 Essex Street • Evenings, select nights through October • Advance tickets required

This is a true North Shore favorite every fall. The Trustees always transform the historic Long Hill estate into an enchanted woodland trail lined with more than 2,000 hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns, larger-than-life Halloween displays, and immersive lit-up scenes. The fun is  self-guided, family-friendly, and genuinely magical after dark, with seasonal treats and warm drinks for sale along the way.

Local tip: Tickets are timed and sold online only (not at the gate), so book ahead. Look for the discounted “Value Nights” on select dates.

Beverly Spooktacular Craft Fair & Trick or Treat

Hastings House, 14 Oak Street • Saturday, October 17 • 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Looking for the perfect daytime option for little ones. This event features 15+ local vendors, raffles, kids’ activities, costumed characters, food, and trick-or-treating, all in one easy, manageable spot.

Downtown Beverly Trick or Treat

Cabot & Rantoul Streets • Annual Beverly Main Streets tradition

Each year, the businesses downtown welcome kids dressed in their Halloween costumes for an early-evening trick-or-treat stroll. Participating shops display an orange flyer in the window. It’s a great excuse to discover a new favorite local spot while you are at it.

Local tip: Check Beverly Main Streets for this year’s date and hours.

Danvers

Connors Farm Corn Maze & Fall Fun

30 Valley Road (Route 35) • Open daily through October 31

The farm has been family-run since 1904, Connors Farm is fall on the North Shore at its best: a seven-acre corn maze, hayrides, farm-themed play areas, plus apple and pumpkin picking. Looking for a thrill this Halloween, try a Flashlight Night, held Friday and Saturday evenings in October, when the maze takes on a whole different feel in the dark.

Local tip: Bring your own flashlight for the night maze, and buy tickets online to skip the line.

Northshore Horror & Anime Fest

Danvers Indoor Sports, 150R Andover Street • October 10–11 • $15 Saturday / $10 Sunday

Have tweens or teens who are too cool for hayrides? This weekend festival brings cosplay, comics, gaming, collectibles, celebrity guests, and costume contests just minutes from Salem, without the Salem traffic.

Good to know: With horror programming in the mix, this one is best for older kids, teens, and grown-up fans.

Peabody

Brooksby Farm

54 Felton Street • Open Tuesday–Sunday

Brooksby is the heart of Peabody, and this year it’s extra special: 2026 marks 50 years since residents rallied to save the farm from development and the city made it a public treasure.  Go an spend an afternoon picking apples, visiting the barnyard animals, taking a hayride, and walking the fall fairytale trail.  End the trip with a reward of cider donuts from the farm stand. On select fall weekends, the farm even sets up campfires for s’mores.

Local tip: A weekday afternoon visit is the most relaxed way to enjoy it.

Nightmare on Main Street

Downtown Peabody  •  Wednesday, October 28  •  4–6 p.m.

Peabody’s annual downtown trick-or-treat brings families to Main Street, where participating businesses, Peabody City Hall, and the Fire Station hand out treats and Halloween surprises. It’s an easy, early-evening outing that wraps up before dinnertime, so it’s perfect for little ones.

Local tip: The city says more details are coming closer to the date, so watch the City of Peabody’s pages for updates.

Marblehead

Marblehead presents a small-town Halloween beautifully, and its traditions are worth putting on your calendar. In recent years the town has hosted:

• The Scarecrow Stroll at Stramski’s Park, families decorate scarecrows that line the walking path.
• Downtown trick-or-treating with the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce. Look for the pumpkin poster in participating shop windows.
• The Pumpkin Illumination in the garden of the historic Jeremiah Lee Mansion, hosted by the Marblehead Museum.
• A Children’s Halloween Party at Abbot Public Library for ages 1–5 and their grown-ups.

Local tip: Check the Marblehead Current and the town’s Recreation & Parks page for this year’s dates.

Topsfield

The Topsfield Fair: Last Chance!

Topsfield Fairgrounds, 207 Boston Street • Through Monday, October 12

America’s oldest county fair (running since 1818) wraps up this holiday weekend. Catch the famous New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off results, visit the animal barns, ride the midway, and grab your favorite fair food before it’s gone until next year.

Local tip: Arrive close to opening for the best parking and shortest lines.

Ipswich

Marini Farm Corn Maze & Play Area

259 Linebrook Road • Open through the fall season

Marini Farm is one of the North Shore’s classics. The seven-acre corn maze is a game as well as a walk: you answer questions at stations along the way to find your way out, and most families spend a good hour or more in the stalks. The younger kids can take on the one-acre mini maze instead, which takes about 20 minutes. Do not forget to visit the play area, the farm stand, and the bakery for a treat. In past seasons, brave families could also try the maze by flashlight on Friday and Saturday nights in October.

Local tip: Every member of your group needs a wristband (kids 2 and under are free), and children 13 and under must stay with a paying adult. Check the farm’s website for this year’s flashlight nights.

Worth the Drive: Just Beyond the North Shore

Krochmal Farms Pumpkin Festival, Tewksbury

31 Jennie’s Way, Tewksbury • Every Saturday & Sunday in October

If you do not mind a short drive, Krochmal Farms in Tewksbury is a sweet, old-fashioned fall outing. Its annual Pumpkin Festival runs every weekend in October, with pick-your-own pumpkins, a corn maze, and horse-drawn hayrides. It is an easy short ride from most of the North Shore, and well worth it for that classic farm-day feeling.

Local tip: Go on a Sunday morning for the best pick of the pumpkin patch.

My Tips for a Low-Stress Local Halloween

• Book ahead. Popular events like Halloween on the Hill sell timed tickets online only.
• Go early or go on a weeknight. You will trade crowds for elbow room.
• Pack layers and a flashlight. New England October evenings cool down fast.
• Check before you go. Outdoor events can change or cancel for weather.
• Shop small. The businesses handing out candy downtown are the same ones that make our towns feel like home.

Why I Love Sharing These Traditions

These are the moments that make a town feel like home: the scarecrows your kids helped build, the farm you visit every single fall, the neighbors you wave to on the downtown trick-or-treat route. The are a large part of what makes the North Shore Community such a wonderful place to live, create traditions and make memories.

If you have been thinking about putting down roots in Lynnfield, Middleton, Danvers, Peabody, or anywhere on the North Shore, or you are ready to right-size into a home that fits your next chapter, I’ would love to help you find your place in the community. Reach out anytime for a no-pressure conversation.

Happy Halloween, neighbors! 🎃

Michelle Gaudette, REALTOR®

Homes with Michelle G  |  Keller Williams Evolution Realty

homeswithmichelleg.com

Event details reflect organizer listings as of October 8, 2026. Dates, hours, and prices can change, so please confirm with each organizer before you go.