Five Things You Don't Know About the Halloween Capital of the World

On any given day, Anoka, Minnesota looks like any other Midwestern hometown. Come Halloween, this innocent-looking community receives a complete makeover with ghouls and goblins roaming Main Street and a grand parade that lights up downtown Anoka like no other. Here are five things you probably don't know about the nation's Halloween Capital of the World:

Halloween fact #1: Anoka was named Halloween Capital of the World after a series of acts of vandalism. After residents of Anoka discovered outhouses tipped over by rambunctious youngsters roaming the streets, cows marching down Main Street unattended, and shop windows covered in soap, something had to be done! Civic leaders organized a committee to work with the public and scheduled a formal parade to celebrate Halloween as safely as possible.

Halloween fact #2: The Halloween Capital of the World is the place to find a kangaroo court. That's right, a kangaroo court joins the fun, along with celebrity appearances, costume contests, storytelling, and a fireworks display.

Halloween fact #3: Anoka was one of the first cities in the United States to host a formal Halloween celebration. Initially festivities involved a city-sponsored parade on Halloween night, but today it's turned into a weeklong celebration that leads up to the famed Grand Day Parade. The Gray Ghost 5K Run is a popular activity for marathoners and other athletic types; dressed in ghost costumes, the route takes runners through a local cemetery for a truly ghoulish experience.

Halloween fact #4: Anoka's celebration was canceled in 1942 and 1943 because of World War I. However, this didn't deter revelers from picking up the tradition shortly after the war was over. The marching children parade continues to attract more kids and families from all over the Midwest, to this day; it's called the Big Parade of Little People.