Popular Salem Statue Inspires AddamsFest Be Witched Selfie Stop

Would you rather be bewitched or do the bewitching? A little of both may happen if you visit Westfield, New Jersey’s popular October celebration, AddamsFest.

I don’t remember if they had themes in years past, but they do this year: Be Witched. They’re also bringing back past favorite activities, including:

• The Wicked Windows of Westfield: “Downtown Westfield’s storefronts into delightful Halloween displays.”
• Haunt Your House Contest
• Morticia & Gomez’s Masquerade Ball
• Charlie’s Ale Garden: Addams Family crossed with Octoberfest!
• Addams Family Fun Day: In addition to food and vendors, expect Addams Family character visits, live performances, incredible displays by the Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, and a very tough costume contest.
• The Addams Family House on Mindowaskin Pond: Snap a pic of a replica Addams house floating on this pond.

On select weekends, they host tours, like the Lantern Cemetery Tours at the Presbyterian Church of Westfield and the Charles Addams Heritage Trail Tour.

“Hexed: A Bewitching Musical Revue” will also cast a spell on AddamsFest visitors. Elphaba and Glinda from Wicked conduct a musical tour of famous witches, with appearances by Hermione Granger, The Little Mermaid’s Ursula, the amazing Sanderson Sisters of Hocus Pocus fame, and more. They promise “it’ll be a HEXED of a good time!”

Then there’s the interactive sculpture inspired by the original Bewitched statue in Salem, Massachusetts. Visitors can pose with it at the Be Witched Selfie Stop.

I’m insanely curious about this statue. What does “interactive” mean? Does it move? Talk? 

They revealed the Be Witched Selfie Spot location: East Broad Street by the Center for Creativity at the Rialto. However, AddamsFest doesn’t get underway in Westfield until October. That’s why I haven’t found any social media posts of anyone posing with the statue. I’ll keep looking. (If you happen to post about it or see someone who does, and it’s on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me!)

Boo-k It!

For more info, visit https://www.addamsfest.com.

Find other spooktacular events like AddamsFest on the Paracons & Horror Fests page.

Check-In

Have you ever visited Salem and posed in front of the Bewitched statue there?

Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.

Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.