Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for anoka halloween capital of the world
Halloween Capital of the World
By Linda Tancs
Talk about bragging rights: In 1937, the United States Congress officially designated Anoka, Minnesota, the Halloween Capital of the World. The story begins in 1920, when Anoka merchants and other interested citizens joined together in a move to stop troublesome Halloween pranks. They sponsored a first-ever community-wide Halloween celebration featuring a parade and bonfire. The event was so successful that no pranks were reported. Still going strong for over a century, Anoka draws tens of thousands of visitors each October with what is now a month-long Halloween celebration that includes parades, a 5k run, ghost tours, costume contests and a giant pumpkin exposition.
