I honestly can’t believe Halloween is tomorrow! This spooky season has really flown by for us as we have been very busy! As some of you know, Patrick and I volunteer for the Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade, which occurred last weekend. A lot goes into it, and we’ve been working hard since late spring!

This unique Anaheim tradition began back in 1923 when local businesses were tired of the vandalism that happened each Halloween. They banded together and offered a festival on Halloween night to entertain kiddos and adults alike, and the plan worked so well that they added a parade the following year. The tradition has carried on, and this year marked the centennial celebration of the Halloween Parade. No longer Halloween night, the festival, which includes artists vendors, food, live entertainment, and costume contests, and the parade now take place the Saturday before Halloween.

In the past Patrick and I had relatively small roles with the event, but this year we took on a great deal more. At the warehouse, our talented volunteers built three new floats. Our floats start out with concept sketches, later becoming models before we grab the saws and begin construction. I learned the ropes of model making and was able to construct a model for a stylized hearse that Patrick took the lead on building. I was then asked to take on the role of social media manager, and Patrick volunteered to take on the website. I also joined the Parade Operations team, and wrote the script for the parade.

When the big day arrived, Patrick and I were part of the float driving team (both in getting the floats to the festival and driving them in the parade) and I transformed into my alter ego, the Candy Corn Witch, who aids our beloved Pumpkin Man as he wanders through the festival. Patrick was a key player in the electrical team, making sure our floats were charging at the festival (we use electric golf cards and utility cards for our floats), while also acting as an assistant and relief for the festival’s artist vendors.

As the festival came to a close, our vendors packed up, attendees found a spot to sit in anticipation of the parade, and Patrick and I made our way to parade staging. Hiccups occurred and Patrick was a part of the team that resolved some of the issues. As a result of being stretched rather thin, I was lucky I got this one photo! But the event is so near and dear to me, and with this being the 100th anniversary of the parade, I couldn’t let it go without just a small look into the process of what goes into making this event possible.

With this being the 100th anniversary, we caught the attention of publications and YouTubers. Below you’ll find a wonderful video by another person passionate about California history! We also made the magazine Locale, and even the Los Angeles Times!

Even though the event is in the rear view, we have tons of fresh ideas on how to move forward for the next 100 years! And I can’t wait to get started! Does your hometown have any Halloween traditions?