Hundreds of people in costumes are already flocking to Salem, Massachusetts, with more than three weeks to go until Halloween.
Around 1.2 million people descended on the city last October. Based on how things are already going, the mayor expects crowds to surpass that number this year.
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“We’ll probably have a record number for October just given the trends we’ve been seeing over the last couple of weeks,” Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo said.
From family trips to bachelorette parties, there's something -- or someone -- everywhere you look, and the parking in the Witch City is even scarier than some of the clowns walking around.
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"This is my seventh year returning to Salem," said Gregory Reinert, who is from Las Vegas. "This year I got inspiration from Monty Python in search of the holy grail.”
Emma Alonso, a 7-year-old from New Jersey, says there's a lot to like -- costumes, balloons and even ice cream.
“Oh I love it, oh my god, all the costumes and everything, it’s so much fun," said Abbey Miller, a bride-to-be from New Jersey. "I really like it."
“It almost feels like an amusement park," one performer said. "It’s just like I feel like it comes alive.”
"It feels like Disney but don’t treat it like Disney," another performer said.
Officials are urging people to take public transportation into the city. On Halloween, trains will be running there every 30 minutes.
