The Buskers

One of the incredibly fun parts of coming to Salem in the month of October is getting pictures with the buskers. They are all very creative in their costumes and you can tell they put quite a lot of time into their costumes.

We have Borah as well as multiple Sanderson Sistahs, Jasons, Scream killers and Michael Meyers. There is also Pennywise, a tall clown, Frankenstein, a short nun and a tall nun, the Addams Family, Uncle Fester, Freddy, Wolfman, Predator, a woman who writes poems, Jack Skellington, Bigfoot, Beetlejuice, Hellraiser, Pumpkinhead and some characters we’re not even sure what they are.

The buskers can be found up and down the Essex Street pedestrian mall from Washington Street down to Hawthorne Boulevard. There may be others that are on Front Street or Washington Street.

Many buskers have specific locations where they perform. There are others that walk around so you will see them going up and down the pedestrian mall and the side streets like Central Street, Front Street, Church Street, Washington Street and others.

There are also a few balloon buskers out there as well. In addition, you will find musicians. And then there are the acrobats and bucket musicians, who usually set up in front of the Visitor’s Center or across from Lappin Park.

One of the common questions that we get is how much do you tip the buskers. Generally, you can tip them $2-5 for a picture. It should be more if you have a larger group. Many might have an online payment account like Venmo. They will have a sign set up with a QR code.

Some of the protocol you should remember is that crowds of people gather around buskers and everyone is waiting patiently for their turn. It’s hard to know where the line begins and ends, but be courteous and conscious of those who might have been ahead of you.

Make sure you have your camera ready to take the photo. If necessary, ask someone to take your picture with the busker and then you reciprocate. Try to be as quick as possible because many people are waiting.

Some of the things you shouldn’t do is be disrespectful, rude, creepy, flirtatious, condescending or misogynistic. Please do not touch buskers without asking or insist that a busker do or say a particular thing. Do not take photos if a busker has said they are not available (on a break), yell or try to get attention during another group's photo or photobomb someone else’s photo.

Many visitors ask for information (directions, recommendations, etc…) from the buskers but try to remember that they might have a crowd of people waiting to take pictures and they don’t have time for anything more than a quick answer. You can find info booths on Washington Street, the Visitor’s Center at 2 New Liberty Street and the Visitor’s Center at 245 New Derby Street.

You should also be mindful of the busker’s property and your own. Some visitors have put their bags down and then forgot them. Some visitors put their bags down and then somebody swipes them. And some nefarious people have tried to steal the busker’s property and tips. It’s not common, but a bucket of cash or a random bag on the ground is opportunity for some. Be vigilant! Keep your eyes out on your stuff and theirs

And above all, be kind and courteous and remember that everyone has come to Salem to have fun.