Hawthorne’s Halloween Bash
Thank you to all who attended in 2024. Save the date for next year – October 18, 2025!
The only Halloween party in Salem thrown by her most famous son! Nathaniel Hawthorne invites you to his Halloween Bash. Celebrate the spooky season in the gardens of The House of the Seven Gables. Interact with Mr. Hawthorne and his famous characters including Holgrave, the daguerreotypist; Mistress Hibbins, the fortune teller; and Feathertop, the scarecrow. Dance the night away to Doctor Gasp and The Eeks’ songs of Halloween oozing with vampires and ghastly creeps. There will be a cash bar, stationed hors d’ oeuvres with a mac and cheese bar, photo booth, and great people-watching among other surprises. This is a costume party, join in on the fun and dress up in your Halloween best! Proceeds of the event benefit the re-imagining of the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace.
Photos by Paige Besse

The Birthplace Project
The Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace, built in 1750 and occupied by Hawthorne’s immediate family from 1801-1808, recalls the early days of Hawthorne’s life. Hawthorne lived in this house from his birth until after his father died at seas when he was four, after which his family moved in with relatives. In 1958, the house was moved from nearby Union Street to its present location on the House of the Seven Gables National Historic District campus. Hawthorne’s Birthplace rests just across from the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion, the house made famous as the setting for one of his most enduring works, The House of the Seven Gables.
The House of the Seven Gables is raising funds to create a new exhibit in the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace that will inspire new generations of readers to discover this classic American author. The exhibit will feature original Hawthorne artifacts from our collections and archives, as well as interactive multimedia experiences. We will explore how Hawthorne’s hometown of Salem influenced his work; how he helped shape American horror and science fiction writing; and how his themes still resonate in the present day. Attending Hawthorne’s Halloween Bash is just one way you can bring this project to life! Proceeds of the event benefit the re-imagining of the Nathaniel Hawthorne Birthplace.