Salem Sets First Disability Pride Flag Raising Thursday at City Hall
SALEM — The City of Salem will host its first annual Disability Pride Month flag raising ceremony Thursday at City Hall, one of several community milestones unfolding this week alongside preparations for the Salem 400+ Heritage Days Parade and Family Field Day.
TOWN HALL
Mayor Dominick Pangallo's administration announced the city will hold its first annual Disability Pride Month Flag Raising Ceremony on Thursday, July 9, at 4 p.m. at Salem City Hall, 93 Washington Street, in the City Council Chambers on the second floor. The event is open to the public and is described by the city as a chance to "show pride in our identity, our resilience, our creativity, and our right to belong fully in our communities."
Elsewhere in city business, Salem SummerEats 2026 continues at open meal sites through Friday, Aug. 21, offering free lunch and dinner to residents. The city also reminded residents that voting closes July 12 for the Beautification Committee's "Ladies of Salem" figurehead contest; the top six vote-getters will be featured on the committee's float in the Salem 400+ Heritage Days Parade on Aug. 1. Registration for that parade, meanwhile, is nearing capacity after more than 50 groups signed up ahead of the event.
The city also continues to promote its new Regroup notification system, which has replaced the old CodeRED platform for emergency alerts, road closures and water notifications.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The Salem 400+ Family Field Day is set for Sunday, July 12, at Forest River Park, billed by the city as a free, fun-filled day for the whole family. The event coincides with the ongoing Heritage Days Parade preparations building toward the Aug. 1 celebration marking Salem's 400th-plus anniversary alongside the nation's 250th.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
"Salem Resident Cashes $500K Lottery Ticket" — A Salem resident won $500,000 on a ticket sold at a Witch City bar and grill, according to Patch, which reported the win as part of its ongoing local news coverage (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"Salem To Hold First Disability Pride Month Flag Raising At City Hall" — Patch reports the City Hall event marks Salem's first annual Disability Pride Month flag-raising and is open to the public, a story the town's News Flash also covered today (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
"🌱 Patch AM: Why is Barack Obama coming to Salem State this September?" — Patch's morning roundup flagged an upcoming visit by former President Barack Obama to Salem State University this fall, without further detail in the preview (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/salem).
COMING UP
The Disability Pride Month Flag Raising Ceremony takes place Thursday, July 9, at 4 p.m. at Salem City Hall. Voting for the Beautification Committee's "Ladies of Salem" figureheads closes Saturday, July 12, the same day as the Salem 400+ Family Field Day at Forest River Park. Crushville Presents: Stevie Wonder VS Earth Wind & Fire is scheduled for July 9 per the Patch community calendar, and Greg Hawkes and Eddie Japan perform the music of The Cars on July 10.