Submitted by Mike O’Connell

 I’m a member of the Anaheim Historical Society and I am responding to a request made for memories of the Fall Festival.  Here are my stories:

I grew up in Anaheim.  During the mid-1980’s, I would go to St. Boniface Catholic Church for Mass with my Grandparents on Saturday night.  At the end of the services during Oct, the Priest would make announcements about upcoming Church events and various community news items.  One of the announcements during Oct would be a reminder that Harbor Blvd. would be closed on the Saturday night that the Halloween Parade would be taking place.  I would go home from Church, change clothes and go back and find a spot on Harbor Blvd and wait for the parade to begin.  I remember seeing the Shriners go by in their mini cars and the High School Marching Band.  I also remember someone would be selling those long plastic horns that would make that un-Godly sound when you would blow into them.  The Parade back then would start at La Palma Park and go south on Harbor Blvd. to I don’t know where.  We would always watch it from somewhere between North St and Lincoln.

I remember one year my best friend and I entered a Costume contest during the Festival that took place during the day at La Palma Park, right after the pancake breakfast that was held at the park.  Although we did not win, all of the contestants were allowed to walk in the parade that night in their costumes.  For whatever reason, my Mother would not allow me to walk in the parade and I had to sit on the curb that night and watch my best friend go walking by.  (Thanks Mom)

I am glad to see that the Festival and Parade are making a comeback.  I remember in the 90s the interest in the Festival and Parade started to go down.  I’m glad that the Parade is now recorded and put on YouTube for those of us who are not able to make it to the Parade in person.