This Minnesota Town Turns Into ‘Halloweentown’ Each Fall (and It’s Spooktacular)

Halloweentown is a mystical place perpetually populated by figures we tend only to associate with Halloween: witches, warlocks, ghosts, goblins, and all manner of other creepy creatures. Folks from this world can only reach it by taking a magical bus. Since the town was brought into the world by Disney through its Halloweentown movie franchise, it's unlikely we in the Land of 10,000 Lakes will encounter any magical buses on the Halloweentown route. We can, however, hop a Metro Transit bus to Anoka, the self-proclaimed Halloween Capital of the World, where spooky season is officially celebrated for more than month each year.

Although some may doubt its claims, those who mistake Anoka for anything but dead-serious about Halloween do so at their own peril. The town first celebrated Halloween in 1920 in an attempt to put the kibosh on the All Hallows Eve antics of feral children who would soap the storefronts of downtown businesses or lead cattle onto Main Street and leave them there for confused adults to herd away the next morning.

The rudimentary early celebrations seem to have worked, and by 1937, when a 12-year-old boy who'd won a trip to Washington, D.C., sported a sweater proclaiming Anoka the Halloween Capital, the town had become a spooky season destination. By the late 1940s, celebrities were even making the trip to Anoka to celebrate Halloween.

Over the century (and more) since its Halloween celebrations began, Anoka's festivities have only grown in scope. Today, the town celebrates Halloween for more than a month, sometimes kicking off the festivities as early as late September. As in the early days, it remains a town-wide celebration that many folks anticipate all year long.

Anoka businesses decorate and offer specials throughout the month, while residents often go all-out with their own Halloween decor. Most festivities are family-friendly and range from pumpkin carving contests to several parades in which children can participate, collect candy, or both. One of my favorite events is the Great Pumpkin Expo, where the some of the state's largest pumpkins are put on display. Not surprisingly, Anoka County farmers are renowned for growing massive gourds.

Although the tradition began as a way of dissuading children from mischief, these days, adults will find plenty of things to do, as well, during Anoka's monthlong Halloween celebration. Home decorating contests, a medallion hunt, bingo nights, and the annual Fireball, with live music, dancing, and beer, which benefits the Anoka Champlin Firefighters Relief Association. Plenty of businesses also get in on the act with their own costume contests and special events.

While it's not exactly Halloweentown, Anoka's the closest thing we have to it here in Minnesota. For a complete list of community Halloween events in town, visit the Anoka Halloween Capital of the World website. Given its relationship to Halloween, you probably won't be surprised to learn that Anoka is also one of Minnesota's most haunted cities. Exploring some of the town's spooky sites is another way to get yourself in the mood for spooky season.

Where do you like to celebrate Halloween in the Bold North? We'd love to hear about your favorite places. Try planning your own spooky season adventures in Minnesota using Only In Your State’s AI-powered itinerary planner.