Salem is Oh-So-Sweet in February

Posted by Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

Winter is about to get a whole lot sweeter in Salem.
For the past decade, after February has arrived, the North of Boston city has held a chocolate and ice sculpture festival, featuring some of the area’s tastiest treats and finest libations, not to mention an arrangement of truly amazing ice sculptures.
There aren’t many better ways to keep your blood warm and have a good time while you’re at it this winter. Here’s quick overview of what Salem’s So Sweet 2015 holds in store.

The Salem Witch Museum trades its Halloween motif for a more wintry one

This year’s festival is set to run from February 6 through February 15. The Chocolate and Wine Tasting, always a hot ticket for obvious reasons, kicks everything off on Friday, February 6 inside Colonial Hall at Rockafellas in downtown Salem.
From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., oenophiles and chocoholics will get to take their pick of wine and chocolate from more than a dozen of Salem’s top restaurants, specialty stores and sweet shops. Admission runs $25 per person, and as mentioned above, the event consistently sells out; so, if you’d like to attend, hop to it and grab tickets here or by calling 978-744-0004.

Harbor sweets from Harbor Sweets Handmade Chocolates via Facebook

The next day, on February 7, the ice sculptures arrive! This year, Salem’s downtown area will welcome 15 of the carved showpieces, including ruby slippers, a film projector and, in a fitting nod to the city’s rich maritime history, a mermaid. If the 2014 statues are any indication, they’ll be a sight to behold.

Cinema sculpture by Kelley Smith

Wedding cake sculpture at Colonial Hall

As the festival approaches, Salem Main Streets will put together a guide showing where visitors can find the ice works throughout town. On February 7 and February 8, sculpture-seeing trolley tours will also be available from noon to 4:00 p.m. for $2 per person, unless Old Man Winter interferes (update: which he unfortunately did. There will not be any trolley tours during Salem’s So Sweet because of the snowfall).

Angel sculpture in downtown Salem

Salem’s So Sweet doesn’t just treat your eyes and taste buds. It has something special for your wallet, too. Plenty of the shops in Salem will be offering discounts and deals throughout the festival (keep an eye out here for the full list). There’ll also be a Golden Ticket raffle organized through the participating businesses, where shoppers can pick up their ticket and then enter to win a Salem’s So Sweet gift basket.
If you’re traveling into the area to attend the festival, there are a variety of places for overnights as well. The Destination Salem website has some excellent suggestions, and there are plenty more here.

Ice skater sculpture at Salem’s So Sweet 2014

Of course, Salem’s chocolate and ice sculpture festival is one of many winter happenings during the next few months in Massachusetts. To browse a comprehensive list, just click here. You can also peruse more wintry activities in the Commonwealth here.
What’s one unique winter event that you’ve attended during your travels? Let us know below in the comments!

TOPICS: Salem, Salem's So Sweet