A Note from the Instigator: Summer 2026

Talk about underestimating something. When I decided to make “100” the focus of this issue of Press Play, I knew finding 100 things to do in Salem wouldn’t be difficult. Salem has no shortage of things to do. Gathering ideas came naturally. After more than 15 years of working alongside artists, venues, nonprofits, festivals, restaurants, and community organizations, I have a constantly growing list in my head. What I underestimated was the challenge of organizing all that information into something people would actually use.

A list of 100 things can quickly become overwhelming. How do you make it easy to browse? Easy to reference? Easy to revisit later when you’re looking for something to do on a Saturday morning, during the middle of the week when you have an hour free or for a summer evening?

Anyone can compile a list of dates and events. I wanted this issue to be something more. A curated collection of recommendations and possibilities. What you’ll find in these pages isn’t simply a list of things happening around town; it’s a guide to opportunities for connection, creativity, celebration, and community.

The idea of 100 felt especially fitting. The Elsinore Theatre entered its 100th year at the end of May. Englewood Park celebrates its centennial this year. The Livesley Building, known today as the Capitol Tower, also turned 100. Reminders of a century of history are all around Salem.

As the list grew, I spent less time thinking about the number and more time thinking about the experience. There are far more than 100 ways to spend a summer day in Salem, and that may be the best reminder of all as our community continues to grow.

So use this issue. Dog-ear the pages. Circle a few events. Try something new. Visit a place you’ve never been. And if you discover something that makes you fall a little more in love with Salem, then I have done my job.

Carlee Wright
Instigator (& Editor)

PS: Like checklists? Me too. And you can get your “100 Things to do this summer in Salem” web app here.

This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 28 (Summer 2026)

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Author: Carlee Wright

Carlee Wright is a community instigator with a grand love for Salem and notably fashionable shoes (Hello, John Fluevog!) who turns waste into wearable art in her "spare" time.