Halloween events in Salem: Trunk-or-treat at the Salem Civic Center will be Oct. 27 from 6-7:30 p.m. It will take place in the front parking lot at 1001 Roanoke Boulevard. Pumpkinfest at Salem Farmers Market will be Oct. 28 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. It will once again feature a costume contest and pumpkin give-away. Plus, attendees can walk through the “Chefs vs. Surgeons” Jack O’ Lantern patch, vote for their favorite carved pumpkin and later bid on it in the pumpkin auction. Children will be able to buy tickets for carnival games and inflatables, walk through the trick-or-treat zone, get their faces painted and enjoy sand art and a bake sale. Tickets for adults will be $5, with children 15 and younger admitted for free. Food trucks will be on-site. Five-Dollar Shake will provide the musical entertainment. Proceeds from the event will benefit Area 8 Special Olympics. Trick-or-treating with the Downtown Merchants will be Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Children will be able to travel up and down Main Street from Academy Street to College Boulevard. Businesses that have a pumpkin sticker on their storefront window are participating. Traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating will be Oct. 31.
Kazim Shrine Circus: The circus will return to the Salem Civic Center for six shows Friday, Oct. 28 (7:30 p.m.), Saturday, Oct. 29 (10 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.) and Sunday, Oct. 30 (1 p.m. and 5 p.m.). General admission tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 2-12 and free for children under the age of 2. Reserved tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for children ages 2-12 and free for children under the age of 2.
Spooktacular Saturday at Explore Park: Roanoke County’s Explore Park will host a full day of expanded, spooky activities from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Spooktacular Saturday will feature many family activities, including pumpkin carving, Treetop Quest and environmental education.
Salem Sports Cards, Comics, Toys & Games Show: The free event will be Saturday, Oct. 29 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) and Sunday, Oct. 30 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) at the Salem Civic Center.
Free Gasoline Every Friday: This October, Planet Fitness Salem is offering $30 worth of gas for free every Friday to the first 50 customers at 10 a.m. at different gas stations. No purchase or membership signup is required. Salem residents are encouraged to visit the Planet Fitness Salem Facebook page or listen to Q99-WSLQ 99.1 to learn about participating gas stations.
Evensong Service: On Sunday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m., a Service of Choral Evensong for the Feast of All Saints will be offered at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 42 E. Main Street in Salem. This centuries-old, reflective service includes readings from scripture, music and prayer. Evensong has its origin in the ancient monastic service of vespers. During the reign of Henry VIII, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer changed the service to Evensong for the Anglican Church. Evensong is sung daily in cathedrals and parish churches throughout the world. The St. Paul’s choir, under the direction of Steven R. Lawrence, will sing music by English composers Grayston Ives and H. Walford Davies. The choir will be joined by organist Peggy Haas Howell of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Lynchburg. Howell, a well-known organ recitalist both in the United States and in Europe will play music by Mendelssohn and Boëllmann. Officiating the service is The Rev. Benjamin Cowgill. Fr. Cowgill, a 2017 graduate of Roanoke College, currently serves as Curate at St. John’s Church in Lynchburg and a former member of St. Paul’s. St. Paul’s extends a warm invitation to the community to attend this service. A dinner follows the service in the Parish Hall and all are welcome.
Salem Museum & Historical Society Annual Meeting of the Membership: All members of the Salem Museum & Historical Society are invited to attend the Annual Meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. The meeting will include the annual report and will be held in person and on Zoom. The Zoom link will be posted on the Museum’s website on the morning of the meeting.
The Stories Within These Walls: On Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m., Chloe Shelton of Chloe Shelton Films will premiere her latest historical film produced for the Salem Museum. This talk will be presented in person and on Zoom, although it will not be recorded. The Zoom link will be posted on the Salem Museum’s website, SalemMuseum.org, on the morning of the talk. “The Stories Within These Walls” was commissioned by the Salem Museum to share the surprising history of the 1845 Williams Brown House. The house is the heart of the Salem Museum, but the structure has been put to a variety of uses in its nearly 150-year life.
Public meetings:
- The Salem City School Board will meet from 7-9 p.m. Nov. 8.
- The Salem City Council will meet Nov. 14 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Salem City Hall Council Chambers at 114 N. Broad Street in Salem.
- The Salem Planning Commission will meet Nov. 16 from 7-7:30 p.m. in the Salem City Hall Council Chambers at 114 N. Broad Street in Salem.
- The Salem City Council will meet Nov. 28 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Salem City Hall Council Chambers at 114 N. Broad Street in Salem.
- The Salem City Council will meet Dec. 12 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Salem City Hall Council Chambers at 114 N. Broad Street in Salem.
- The Salem City School Board will meet from 7-9 p.m. Dec. 13.
- The Salem Planning Commission will meet Dec. 14 from 7-7:30 p.m. in the Salem City Hall Council Chambers at 114 N. Broad Street in Salem.