New Orleans Skeleton Ranger Hits Witch City For Salem Halloween Parade

SALEM, MA — A touch of Bayou voodoo is traveling to the Witch City for Thursday's annual Haunted Happenings Grand Parade officially kicking off the Halloween season in the holiday's unofficial hometown.

A New Orleans-based artist who goes by the moniker Katrina Brees teamed up with the National Park Services to craft a puppet skeleton rendition of a National Park Service ranger. The puppet is set to be part of the annual Grand Parade on Thursday night in Downtown Salem.

Brees, who prides herself in innovative designs and eco-conscious creations, routinely contributes her work to Mardi Gras parades each year.

"It is an honor to be chosen to create this centerpiece for the parade," Brees said. "Parading is the art of pride and I hope I've created something the whole community can take pride in."

Thursday's parade begins at 6:30 p.m. at Shetland Park and marches through Downtown Salem to Salem Common with thousands of participants representing local organizations, schools and businesses.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)