SalemCon 3 April 2017

The event itself was held at the historic and haunted Hawthorne Hotel. I cannot think of a better spot, as you are footsteps away from several historic sites as well as many shops, pubs and restaurants. Trust me; your time here will go very quickly as there is much to see and do in a short period of time.
Friday night started off with a VIP party in the hotel. It was great seeing so many friends and catching up with those you only get to see at such events throughout the year.
Saturday was filled with lectures, which proved to be not only interesting and informative, but also humorous (Scott Gruenwald)! The vendor room was packed with lots of interesting goods and familiar faces as we made our way throughout. Friends spilled into the lobby and onto the streets. It reminded us a bit of the Phenomenology events we loved and miss so much.
After the dinner break everyone gathered in the lobby to await instruction for the evening investigations

Countless lives and families were destroyed by the witch trial and the madness that ensued. There is no doubt numerous spirits still linger in this little city by the sea-

The infamous Salem witch trials began during the spring of 1692, after a group of young girls in Salem Village, Massachusetts, claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft. As a wave of hysteria spread throughout colonial Massachusetts, a special court convened in Salem to hear the cases; the first convicted witch, Bridget Bishop, was hanged that June. Eighteen others followed Bishop to Salems Gallows Hill, while some 150 more men, women and children were accused over the next several months.
By September 1692, the hysteria had begun to abate and public opinion turned against the trials. Belief in the supernatural and specifically in the devils practice of giving certain humans (witches) the power to harm others in return for their loyalty had emerged in Europe as early as the 14th century, and was widespread in colonial New England. In addition, the harsh realities of life in the rural Puritan community of Salem Village (present-day Danvers, Massachusetts) at the time included the after-effects of a British war with France in the American colonies in 1689, a recent smallpox epidemic, fears of attacks from neighboring Native American tribes and a longstanding rivalry with the more affluent community of Salem Town (present-day Salem). Amid these simmering tensions, the Salem witch trials would be fueled by residents suspicions of and resentment toward their neighbors, as well as their fear of outsiders.
Though the Massachusetts General Court later annulled guilty verdicts against accused witches and granted indemnities to their families, bitterness lingered in the community, and the painful legacy of the Salem witch trials would endure for centuries.

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HISTORY.COM

VIP ticket holders investigated four spots within walking distance of the Hawthorne Hotel. Our first stop was actually a private room downstairs known as the "library". The Ghost Detectives team was stationed at this location throughout the evening. Shadows have been seen throughout the lower level. One staff member reported setting up the room for an event only to find the furniture rearranged when they returned. Some employees have simply refused to work nights altogether. We continued on to the back room of the Remember Salem store just a block away where John Zaffis and Brian Cano led an ITC session. Our next stop was Wynotts Wand Shop where Lucky Belcamino and her team introduced us to table tipping. Lastly, we were honored to be amongst the first to check out St Peters Church with Scott Gruenwald and Rosalyn Bown.