Why Anoka, MN Is Now Known As The ‘Halloween Capital Of The World’

Do you know Minnesota's spooky secret? While the North Star State is known for many things, we're also home to the official Halloween Capital of the World. But just how did this surprising city here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes claim this impressive Spooky Season title?

Why the World's Spookiest Title Belongs in the Land of 10,000 Lakes

To find out just why the Halloween Capital of the World is located here in the North Star State, you have to go back in time to nearly a century ago, when this Minnesota city decided to do something for the annual All Hallows' Eve celebration.

And again this year, if you want to get your spooky on, you don't have to go very far. In fact, you can head to the Halloween Capital of the World, and your trip won't even take you too long because it's right here in Minnesota, located nearby in the Twin Cities metro (just a little over 100 miles away from Rochester).

So just what IS the Halloween Capital of the World? If you were thinking of someplace like Salem, Massachusetts (home of the infamous Salem Witch Trials), or maybe New Orleans, Louisiana (one of the spookiest cities with tons of voodoo history), or maybe even Sleepy Hollow, New York (home of the Halloween tale, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow), you're incorrect.

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Would you believe that Anoka, Minnesota, has officially been dubbed the Halloween Capital of the World? It's true. And that's not just some self-proclaimed title, either, but is officially acknowledged according to the Library of Congress.

Library of Congress Confirms: Anoka is the Halloween Capital

How is it that Anoka laid claim to that impressive title, you ask? Well, the Library of Congress says that Anoka was one of the first cities in the country to "put on a Halloween celebration that discourages people from playing tricks or causing trouble," the site said.

A bridge over the Rum River in Anoka, MN. (Canva)

Our fellow Minnesotans in Anoka have been trying to put on a more positive take on Halloween for over 85 years now, the site noted.

In 1920, a weeklong celebration was started in Anoka in an effort to take the trick out of trick-or-treating. The Grand Day Parade includes a Mass Band, made up of bands from four high schools. Another featured event is the Gray Ghost 5K Run, inspired by sightings of Bill Andberg, a marathon runner in his 70s whose gray-clad ghostly figure can often be seen running through a local cemetery.

And, after the pandemic year of 2020 limited some of the Halloween events in Anoka (or at least changed them a bit), the event returned, full-scale, in 2021. And it's back once again this year, and there is a full slate of activities that can help you celebrate the season of ghosts and goblins.

Halloween 2026: Anoka's Spooktacular Events

While this year's full schedule has yet to be revealed, previous Anoka Halloween celebrations have included a coloring contest, a pumpkin weigh-off and carving contest, a scarecrow contest, a movie night, a scavenger hunt, bonfires, a parade, and more. It really IS a positive celebration! (Click HERE more information.)

And, all of them are geared around "providing opportunities for our community to support our schools and scholarships with unique family-friendly Halloween celebrations," as the official Anoka Halloween Capital of the World site said.

Now, if Halloween isn't your thing, you can still celebrate fall in Minnesota with a trip to one of the many apple orchards here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Keep scrolling to check out some of the best here in our own backyard.