Salem 400+ Public Meeting

April 8, 2025

Many dedicated Salem residents braved Monday evening’s adverse weather conditions to attend the public presentation of Salem’s quadricentennial commemoration framework at Salem High School on April 7th.

The meeting, which began at 5:30 p.m., offered community members a detailed overview of plans for Salem 400+, a city-wide initiative commemorating Salem’s 400-year legacy while acknowledging the preexisting indigenous community and exploring the city’s multifaceted history.

Salem 400+ is designed as a true community celebration, with everyone contributing what they can to create something greater than any single organization could achieve alone. The City of Salem is providing the framework and several signature events, but the richness of this commemoration will come from the collective contributions of organizations and individuals.

The meeting unveiled ten signature events planned for 2026, including a Volunteer Marketplace Kickoff in January, First Muster in April, and culminating with a Signature Closing Event in December. Other highlighted events include a Heritage Day Parade on August 1st and Parks Days weekend in September.

Attendees learned about the Salem400.org website, which serves as a central gateway for community engagement. The site features a reading list of Salem-inspired stories, news about the quadricentennial initiative, information about the Century Tree program and signature parks, and a community calendar for free events related to the 400th anniversary celebration.

A strong emphasis was placed on volunteerism as a cornerstone of the initiative. The Salem 400+ Volunteer Pledge,  invites residents to contribute to the community’s legacy as Salem begins its next 400 years.

The presentation also highlighted partnerships with organizations like the Peabody Essex Museum, which will feature Salem-focused exhibitions including “Salem Sketches” – a collection of mini-documentaries covering diverse local topics, and a new exhibition about the Declaration of Independence and Salem printer Ezekiel Russell.

Following the main presentation, attendees were directed to information tables focused on specific aspects of Salem 400+, including Events, Parks Days, the Volunteer Marketplace, Heritage Parade, Old Town Hall usage, and General Volunteering opportunities.

The strong turnout despite challenging weather conditions demonstrated the community’s enthusiasm for participating in this historic milestone and reinforced the initiative’s goal of building stronger community connections.

For more information about Salem 400+ or to learn about volunteer opportunities, residents can visit Salem400.org. See below to see the slides that were presented at the presentation.