The Halloween Capital of the World
History of Anoka Halloween
"Anoka, Minnesota has been called the Halloween Capital of the World, as it is believed that Anoka was the first city in the United States to put on a Halloween celebration to divert old-time Halloween pranks such as soaping windows, stealing gates, putting wagons on roofs, turning cattle loose, and turning over certain small buildings whether or not they were occupied.
In 1920, George Green and Anoka business and civic leaders suggested the idea of a giant celebration. After weeks of planning, an evening parade was held with thousands of costumed children marching down main street followed by hundreds of bags of popcorn, candy, and peanuts given away; a huge bonfire culminated the evening.
Celebrations have been held every year since 1920, with the exception of 1942 and 1943, when they were canceled because of World War II. The 1997 celebration marks the 75th Festival. The Celebration boasts a wide variety of activities beginning with a football game which Barbara Flanaga, Feature Writer for the Minneapolis Star, dubbed the "Pumpkin Bowl". Other events have included card parties, bingo, horseshoe tournament, costume contests, haunted house, style show, a kiddie parade, and a 5k Grey Ghost Run (named for Bill Andberg, a marathon runner in his seventies whose grey-clad ghostly figure could often-times be seen running through a local cemetery), and a 150 unit parade which is the second largest in the State. The Celebration culminates with the Miss Anoka Pageant.
The Halloween Celebration is funded by generous businesses and organizations as well as the City of Anoka, in addition to the sale of buttons, T-shirts, caps, mugs, and ads. The Committee is made of 30+ energetic volunteers who work year around to plan the Celebration."
Taken from:
The Official Anoka Halloween Site
Competitors for
the Title
1. Salem
A Halloween Visit to Salem, MA
"Tricentennial commemorative from an original lithograph
postcard printed circa 1892 celebrating the bicentennial of the
Salem Witch Trials."
2. Independence
Neewollah: Kansas' Largest Annual Celebration
