The Anaheim Halloween Festival & Parade returns on Saturday, October 24, 2026. It’s one of the oldest community Halloween traditions in the country.
This guide covers everything you need. I’ll cover the dates, times, parking, the route, and how to actually join in.
We pulled every detail directly from the official Anaheim Fall Festival site. Bookmark this page. Here, I’ll update it if anything changes before October.
What You Need To Know
| Date | Saturday, October 24, 2026 |
| Festival Time | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. |
| Parade Time | 7 p.m. |
| Location | Downtown Anaheim, CA |
| Festival Location | Center Greens, Downtown Anaheim |
| Cost | Free to attend |
| Parade Route | Anaheim Blvd & Broadway to Broadway & West St |
| Official Site | anaheimfallfestival.org |
A Parade Over a Century in the Making
The tradition started in 1923. Local merchants created a Halloween festival to give kids a wholesome alternative to pranking the neighborhood.
The festival worked. A year later, in 1924, organizers added a nighttime parade.
That parade never really stopped. 2026 marks its 102nd year, making it one of the longest-running Halloween parades in the United States.
Volunteers and local businesses still run the whole thing today. The event now celebrates three things at once: Halloween, DÃa de los Muertos, and the harvest season.
The Daytime Festival Comes First
Don’t just show up at 7 p.m. The parade is only half the day.
The Anaheim Fall Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Center Greens, right in the heart of downtown Anaheim. It sits just around the corner from the parade route itself.
Expect local artists, small businesses, live performances, and a scavenger hunt through downtown. Costume contests run for both kids and dogs.
Admission stays free. Some individual vendors sell food and crafts for a cost.
The Parade Route, Step by Step
The parade starts at the intersection of Anaheim Blvd and Broadway. From there, it turns left onto Center St. Promenade.
After Center St. Promenade, the route continues down Broadway. It ends at the intersection of Broadway and West St.
The full route runs through the heart of downtown Anaheim. Organizers also publish an interactive parade map on the official site, linked in the table above.
Where to Park
Parking fills up fast for an event this size. Plan ahead and expect road closures well before the parade starts.
Center Street Parking Garage. Free. Located on Center St., across from the Anaheim Downtown Community Center.
Center City Parking – CarPark 3. Free. Sits near the parade route along Center St. Promenade.
Anaheim Parking Center – CarPark 4. Paid. Also near Center St. Promenade.
Anaheim City Hall Parking. Available, but with a catch. No entry or exit happens between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. due to road closures.
Anaheim High School overflow lot. Opens at 5 p.m. It’s about a 10-minute walk south to the parade route on Broadway.
Some nearby neighborhoods offer street parking too. Many require a residential permit, so check signage carefully and be respectful of residents.
Where to Watch and What You’ll Hear
Volunteer announcers narrate the parade in both English and Spanish. You don’t need to be near either one to enjoy the show.
The English announcer sets up at the Car Show Stage, near Lemon St. and Center St. Promenade. The Spanish announcer sets up in front of Car Park 3, also along Center St. Promenade.
Broadway offers long, open stretches for watching the parade go by. Arrive early if you want a spot near the start or end of the route.
What You Can Bring to the Festival and Parade
The official site doesn’t publish a general list of prohibited items for festival or parade spectators. Here’s what we could confirm, plus general common sense for a large public street event.
The one official rule we found applies to parade participants, not spectators. Anyone walking in the parade itself must avoid smoking or drinking alcohol on or near the step-off area and the parade route. This comes directly from the official parade application page.
For everyone else watching from the sidewalk, the festival and parade both take place on public streets and in a public park. Normal Anaheim city ordinances apply, including standard rules against open alcohol containers on public streets and sidewalks.
Good things to bring: A lightweight chair or blanket for curbside viewing. Photos from past years show plenty of attendees set up along the route with their own chairs and blankets, so it’s a well-established practice at this event, not just a general suggestion.
Also bring a light jacket for the evening parade, cash for festival food and craft vendors, and a phone or camera for the floats.
Use good judgment on: Costume props that look like real weapons. Oversized bags or backpacks, since large events increasingly involve some level of security presence. Pets, since a loud parade with bands and floats isn’t a great fit for every dog, even if leashed.
If you have a specific item in question, especially anything costume-related that could be mistaken for a weapon, the official site’s contact page is the most reliable place to ask ahead of time.
How to Take Part
Want to actually be in the parade instead of just watching it? Organizations, schools, and community groups can apply.
Applications go through the official 2026 parade application, linked directly on the official parade page. Space fills up, so apply early.
Local performers can also apply to join the daytime festival lineup. The festival’s vendor spots typically fill up over the summer, so check the official site well before October if you want a booth.
Tips for a Smooth Visit
Dress for a cool evening. Late October in Anaheim runs mild during the day and noticeably cooler after sundown. Bring a light jacket for the parade.
Arrive early for festival parking. Free structures fill up fast once the festival opens at 10 a.m.
Plan around the 3 p.m. closures. Several streets and the City Hall parking structure close to through-traffic well before the parade starts at 7 p.m.
Bring cash for vendors. Festival food and craft vendors may not all take cards.
Make it a full day. Downtown Anaheim has restaurants and shops within easy walking distance of both the festival and the parade route, so there’s no need to leave and come back.
People Also Ask…
The parade starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The daytime Fall Festival at Center Greens runs earlier, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Yes. Both the festival and the parade are free to attend. Some festival vendors charge for food and crafts.
The parade starts at Anaheim Blvd and Broadway, turns onto Center St. Promenade, then continues down Broadway to the intersection of Broadway and West St.
The festival tradition began in 1923. The parade itself was added in 1924, making 2026 its 102nd year, one of the longest continuous Halloween parade traditions in the country.
Center Street Parking Garage and CarPark 3 both offer free parking near the route. Anaheim High School opens an overflow lot at 5 p.m., about a 10-minute walk to Broadway.
Yes. Schools, community groups, and local organizations can apply directly through the official 2026 parade application.
The official site doesn’t publish a specific rain policy. Southern California rarely sees rain in late October, but check the official site or social channels for any last-minute updates before you head out.
The official site doesn’t publish a general item list for spectators. The one confirmed rule applies to parade participants, who can’t smoke or drink alcohol on or near the route. For everyone else, normal city street ordinances apply, and a chair, blanket, and light jacket are good practical choices for curbside viewing.
