The popular Salem’s So Sweet festival has been modified this year to adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines, and provides an opportunity to support small businesses and experience Salem in mid-winter.
In its 19th year, Salem’s So Sweet is a perennial favorite, celebrating delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures, and Valentine’s Day shopping.
This year, the festival runs February 1 through 14, including promotional events at participating stores, takeout and chocolate deals, and lit ice sculptures throughout downtown. The event is split into two parts: the SWEET weekend, February 6 and 7, and the HEAT weekend, February 13 and 14.
This coming weekend, February 6 through 7, fifteen ice sculptures will decorate the downtown area, including an owl, a gingerbread house, a rocking horse, and a Hello Kitty phone. The sculptures will light up on Saturday night—find a map here.
Things heat up on February 13 and 14, when warming stations pepper the downtown area instead of ice sculptures. Also featured this weekend will be a new Love Letter Treasure Hunt. Seek out fragments of a love letter between Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne hidden in windows around downtown and submit the completed text to be eligible for a prize.
Over two dozen businesses offer promotions between now and February 14, including discounts at shops and accommodations. Whether you’re looking for a little something as a V-Day gift, a new takeout restaurant to try, or a whole Valentine’s weekend getaway, Salem’s So Sweet festival offers some of the sweetest happenings around. Click here to see the full list of participating businesses and their offerings.
For more information, visit salemmainstreets.org/festivals/salem-so-sweet.