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Experience Salem’s rich folklore hands-on by crafting your own turkey wing style broom in this guided workshop. No experience needed—just bring your creativity and take home a unique piece of New England heritage!
Experience Salem’s rich folklore hands-on by crafting your own turkey wing style broom in this guided workshop. No experience needed—just bring your creativity and take home a unique piece of New England heritage!
Book with The Witchery, LLC
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Operated by The Witchery, LLC · Salem, Massachusetts
In the historic coastal city of Salem, Massachusetts, renowned for its witch trials and rich maritime history, a unique hands-on craft workshop invites visitors to reconnect with an age-old tradition—the Turkey Wing Broom Making Workshop. Located at 61 Wharf Street, this immersive experience offers a rare chance to craft a distinctive turkey wing style broom from the ground up, blending cultural heritage with creative flair. Salem’s maritime air and cobblestone streets provide a inspiring backdrop for this workshop, which is perfect for visitors seeking a memorable, hands-on activity beyond typical sightseeing.
Led by skilled instructors passionate about broomcraft, participants will embark on a satisfying one-hour journey where no prior experience is needed. The workshop centers on using broomcorn, a natural sorghum fiber, to weave and shape a broom with the iconic turkey wing form—a style that stands apart from the more commonly known besom brooms. The workshop fosters a welcoming, inclusive space, supporting novice makers as well as those who have some broom-making background looking to refine their skills.
Each participant is supplied with a bundle of broomcorn, colorful splashes of dyed fibers to personalize their piece, and twine for binding, ensuring that every broom created is distinctively crafted. The instructors walk groups step-by-step through the methods of assembling and styling the broom, explaining the traditional techniques that have been preserved for decades. The tactile experience of handling natural materials and learning the craft’s subtle techniques creates a powerful connection to traditional New England folk art.
What makes this workshop especially unique is its setting in Salem—a city famed for its rich folklore and artisanal spirit. Here, broom-making is more than craft; it’s a cultural link to the stories and customs that define this area. Upon completion, brooms are carefully wrapped to protect them, allowing visitors to carry a tangible memory of their visit home.
Beyond the craft, the workshop’s location at the bustling waterfront allows participants to explore Salem’s maritime charm before or after the class. Comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended, as broom-making is a hands-on, somewhat physical endeavor.
Whether you’re drawn by Salem’s history, fascinated by traditional handcrafts, or searching for a creative and meaningful souvenir, this turkey wing broom making workshop offers a refreshing and engaging experience. It’s an opportunity to craft a functional piece of folk art while diving into the local heritage—making it a standout activity in the Salem outdoor recreation and cultural landscape.
easy.
1 hour.
Suitable for anyone in general good health with basic hand dexterity and the ability to stand for 60 minutes.
No prior experience is needed; instructors guide you step-by-step to create your turkey wing broom.
The workshop includes broomcorn, four color splashes for decoration, twine, and expert instruction.
Yes, during the workshop you can purchase additional broomcorn colors and charms to personalize your broom fully.
Yes, the location and workshop are designed to accommodate wheelchair users.
Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes are recommended to ensure safety and ease during broom making.
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the workshop begins to check in and prepare.
Salem’s broom making tradition ties into its broader witchcraft folklore and maritime craft heritage, offering a cultural window into colonial New England.
The workshop uses sustainable broomcorn fibers and promotes eco-friendly craft practices to minimize environmental impact.
The Witchery, LLC is a craft-focused workshop and event provider located in Salem, Massachusetts. The Witchery offers a range of hands-on workshops and self-guided crafting sessions that emphasize creativity, personalization, and connection to local artisan practices. Guests can choose from bookbinding workshops to create leather journals with skilled instructors, broom making workshops that allow personalization with dried flowers and charms, spelljar workshops that teach ingredient meanings and intention-setting, and themed experiences such as Moon Witch that explore folk magic, tarot, and moon lore. Private Crafting Workshop sessions provide exclusive access to tools and materials for groups and events, with options including broom making, bookbinding, and spelljar crafting. Craft Witch sessions serve as self-guided, flexible crafting blocks where participants select projects on arrival. The Witchery hosts family-oriented workshops including Family Broom Making and specialized classes like Turkey Wing Broom Making that guide participants through building a unique broom from scratch. Instruction is led by skilled or expert instructors who guide materials selection, technique, and finishing. Workshops result in tangible keepsakes such as personalized journals, wrapped brooms, and custom spelljars. Sustainable materials and practices are part of several experiences, and some workshops are described as LGBTQIA+ friendly. The Witchery combines practical craft instruction with thematic elements of folk magic and intention-setting, offering visitors to Salem a hands-on way to create meaningful, handmade objects. Classes suit beginners and experienced crafters, emphasizing safe, guided techniques and memorable keepsakes for guests of all ages. Book early online.
Book with The Witchery, LLC