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If you ever dreamed of taking a trip to the fictional Halloweentown from the movie of the same name, you might want to check out this Minnesota city. It was named the Halloween Capital of the World back in 1920 and has been celebrating Halloween like no other city in the world ever since.
It all started with a prank back in 1919, according to Smithsonian magazine. After residents woke up the day after Halloween in 1919 to wagons parked on rooftops, overturned outhouses and cows roaming freely downtown, officials decided to create a Halloween celebration fit for all ages to prevent future pranks from local teens. The celebration now consists of three parades, a pumpkin carving contest, a bonfire, a house-decorating contest, trick-or-treating, a carnival and a pumpkin smashing event,
So, what Minnesota city his the "Halloween Capital of the World?" Anoka. Here's what Smithsonian magazine had to say about it:
"No city in the country—or the world—does Halloween quite like Anoka, Minnesota. For almost a century, residents of the small Minnesota town located about 20 miles northwest of Minneapolis have been holding a community-wide celebration in honor of October 31, eventually earning the town of nearly 18,000 the title of Halloween Capital of the World."