The History of the Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade

We’re paying a visit to the city of Anaheim to learn the history of the Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade, a tradition that is 100 years old! We’re going to learn how this tradition got its start, how it grew and evolved over the decades, and how it nearly disappeared a few years ago, but what revived by a passionate and talented group of residents.
This year’s celebration takes place on Saturday October 26th! For more information visit AnaheimFallFestival.org
Thank you to Kevin Kidney, Jody Daily, Derek Bracho, Janey Ellis, Evie Yapelli ,and all the volunteers at The Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade for allowing me to document the hard work you all put into this great celebration.
Special shoutout to the staff at the Anaheim Public Library’s Heritage Center for their assistance in researching the history of the parade, as well as for granting me permission to use the historical photographs from their amazing collection.
And a heartfelt thanks to the homie Joel Lopez who helped me film and edited this video. Truly one of my most talented friends.
References:
“Anaheim Halloween Festival” by Harry Barnes, Pgs. 1-3, and 5.
How Did the Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade Come to Be? | Anaheim Halloween and Fall Festival Website
“City to Support Halloween Event” by staff, The L.A. Times. Jan. 23, 1977.
“Orange County Digest: North County” by staff, The L.A. Times. Dec. 27, 1983.
“Anaheim Halloween Bash may be Off for Lack of Affordable Insurance” by Roxana Kopetman, The L.A. Times. July 23, 1986.
“Fiscal Fright” by staff, The L.A. Times. Oct. 28, 1991.
“Anaheim’s Small-Town, Big-Time Halloween Parade” by Kevin Kidney, Disney 23 Magazine. Fall 2003.
“Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade Began as a way to Curb Halloween-Night Mischief” by Taylor Hamby, OC Weekly. Oct. 11, 2008.
“Throwback Thursday: Anaheim Parade, Once “Biggest Halloween Party in the Nation,” Marches on at 90” by Erika I. Ritchie, The Orange County Register. Oct. 9, 2014.
“A New Life for the Anaheim Halloween Parade” by Cynthia Rebolledo, PBS SoCal. Oct. 29, 2015.
“Art Show Celebrates 100 Years of the Anaheim Fall Festival” by Sarah Mosqueda, The Daily Pilot. Aug. 30, 2023.
Music:
“Plantation” by Omri Smadar
“Autumn Pizzicato” by Veaceslav Draganov
#anaheim #halloween #parade #fallfestival #foohowser #californiography

[@marshas.9218]

I love this parade and was fortunate to have worked with Kevin and Jody when I played Little Red Riding Hood for a few years in the parade. I hope to return to working the parade one day!

[@californiography]

That’s awesome! Kevin and Jody are the best and I’m glad that they’ve managed to keep the tradition going and growing!

[@marshas.9218]

@@californiography If you go to the Fall Festival tomorrow, check out The Big Butter Jazz Band on the Lemon St Stage at 1:30. Vintage New Orleans style jazz. My husband is the bandleader! 😀

[@twjackson94]

The editing is good. shame it doesnt have more views.

[@californiography]

Thank you!!! Hopefully the algorithm will pick it up once Fall comes around again

[@dsolosan]

Once again, you're bringing me something new to marvel at. I never knew Anaheim had a long history of Halloween celebrations! When you said that the city axed the event to save $50,000, I thought, "The kids should have gone out and done $50,000 worth of damage just to educate them!" Another great video!

[@californiography]

Hahahaha, yeah, the kids should’ve definitely taught the city a lesson! 😆
I had never heard of this celebration until last year, I don’t know how I never heard of it.

[@debbie7115]

I've never heard of this event, but glad I know about it now.

[@californiography]

I didn’t know about until last year! It’s funny how it went from being one of the biggest Halloween celebrations in the country to being virtually unknown