 October in Salem is usually a month-long Halloween celebration, but COVID-19 has made changes to the festivities. In normal years, the city says nearly half a million people visit Salem in October. Locals say it gets too busy at Halloween time. I try to stay away from it. It's crowded because from the area, I don't want to, you know, the traffic, you know, it's crazy. The streets are emptier this year, but Salem's crowds have concerned many. Mayor Kim Driscoll has urged visitors with no plans to stay away, and restaurants, tours, and museums require reservations. But some visitors, including this group from the Finger Lakes, have come anyway. We really didn't want to have a schedule and we just want to enjoy people. Salem has canceled all haunted happenings events, among other new restrictions from the mayor's office to try to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak. Despite the pandemic, Salem has continued to draw large crowds, and the city is reacting accordingly. For BETV10, I'm Sonya Shen.