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The city of Anoka lived up to its billing as the "Halloween Capital of the World" on Saturday. The Grand Day Parade began at 1 p.m. in downtown Anoka, with over 150 floats and dozens of marching bands. Organizers estimate that they get up to 40,000 people to turn out every year. The event, which began in 1920, is the largest and longest-running parade in Minnesota.
Ryan Ridgley makes no secret of his love of Halloween. "I'd say this year the favorite is the guillotine," Ridgley said. In his Richfield yard, the scary and supernatural come to life. His layout is planned months in advance, and he makes most of the eerie items by hand. His Halloween perfection takes time and money. "I can't say the exact amount because my girlfriend will get upset," he said. "There was a comma in it a long time ago." But for Ridgley, the bigger the display, the bigger the turnout. And the bigger turnouts provide more opportunity to help others.
There's a haunted house under construction in St. Paul that's expecting about 600 to 800 trick-or-treaters. The beautiful house on Summit Avenue -- located near the St. Paul Cathedral -- is also a home for men recovering from addiction.
The weekend before Halloween is a popular one for parties, but the Department of Public Safety is warning motorists that police won't put up with any tricks. DPS says authorities statewide are cracking down on impaired drivers this weekend. Officials are urging partygoers to plan a sober ride before donning their costumes.
It's just one week away from Halloween, so to get into the spirit of the season, WCCO viewers helped Matt Brickman find Minnesota's Best Haunted Attraction. And fright fans didn't disappoint as The Dead End Hayride in Wyoming, Minn. came out on top.
Going trick-or-treating with the kids this Halloween? Elizabeth Bailey RN and Dr. Rebecca Bailey's have some helpful tips for ensuring a safe and fun night out in the neighborhood.
Halloween is almost here. Last week I took a look at not-so-scary Hallween events around the Twin Cities. This week, let's take a look at a sampling of Halloween events around the state.
Much like comedy, horror is one of the most subjectively-received movie genres out there. Just as you can't really argue what people think is or isn't funny, it's difficult to convince anyone that they're not scared if they're squeezing the blood right out of your closest thigh.
Some businesses buy costumes, fake blood and dry ice, and declare themselves "haunted" for a few weeks each year. But a hotel in central Minnesota has mysterious happenings year-round, and there are no costumes.
Halloween is just around the corner and one of the biggest celebrations around is in Anoka. The city has been known to have one of the biggest Halloween parades there is in Minnesota.
This Halloween, some Minnesota doctors have a warning, and it has nothing to do with candy. The Minnesota Optometric Association is warning people to be leery of festive eye contact lenses. People use them to look like cats or zombies and other costume-inspired looks. The association says there's a black market for the non-prescription kind.
Halloween is almost here. Have you checked out the metro's haunted houses? There are tons of scary things to do for older Halloween fans. But where you can take the little, more easily scared ones?
The quest for the perfect pumpkin is on. Embrace this autumn ritual with one of these Minnesota pumpkin patches that turn plain pumpkin picking into a seasonal festivity.
Minneapolis is ranked No. 11, nationally, for Halloween trick or treating. Real Estate website Zillow.com charted the top 20 and also has detailed the top five neighborhoods in Minneapolis.
Parents might want to check what their kid gets for candy this Halloween once they are done trick-or-treating. It turns out some candy is much worse for you than others. A study by insurer Delta Dental says chocolate isn't as bad, but avoid hard or chewy candies if you can.
Did you know Halloween is the second most expensive holiday for consumers, behind only Christmas? Yep. Didn't think so. In fact, the National Retail Federation said the average person is expected to spend more than $75 on decor, costumes, and candy.
Get your Halloween costume for less when you shop at some of these budget spots around the Twin Cities.
This Halloween, families are expected to spend nearly $8 billion celebrating the holiday. That's a 50 percent jump since just 2005. And a lot of the money is going to costumes. Americans spend about a $1 billion on children's costumes each year, and another $1.2 billion on adult costumes. How it all got started dates back to the Middle Ages. For the folks at the Theatrical Costume Rental in Minneapolis, 20 percent of their yearly business is done during the month of October. Duck Dynasty, What Does the Fox Say and Jack Sparrow are just a few popular costumes this year.
Ghosts and goblins are expected to come out in late October for Halloween, but the beer-craving undead can't wait that long. The 9th annual Zombie Pub Crawl kicked off at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon, with 30,000 people expected to participate in this year's event. New this year, some pretend zombies ate some real brains. Andrew Zimmern's "A-Z Canteen" prepared pork brain tacos - a dish that's served in Mexico - for a group of competitive eaters.
Believe it or not, we're just three weeks away from Halloween, and that means this is primetime for pumpkins. So we asked for your help finding the Best in Minnesota. In the end, your votes sent me to New Prague to visit Barten Pumpkins.
Party down at some of the craziest Halloween bashes.
First vampires, and now I'm tackling zombies. Which is fitting, of course ... not just because it's October (a month during which not only I but many of my friends seem to just watch as many horror movies as we can muster), but also because this weekend brings the annual Zombie Pub Crawl to Minneapolis' West Bank once again.
This is a warning -- Halloween is almost here, and it's time to get terrified. One of the creepiest haunted houses is open. It's so scary you have to sign a waiver before going through.
Certain areas of Minnesota are considered haunted due to the numerous reports of paranormal activities from guests and residents of these locations.
The fall season brings us the three-month stretch of holiday celebrations and to kick it all is the spookiest of them all – Halloween. Here are the five must-haves for your haunted house.
A 33-year-old man has been sentenced for causing a crash in Arden Hills, Minnesota, in 2024 that killed two people in their 70s.
Paramount Skydance's $30 per share offer comes just days after Netflix agreed to buy parts of Warner Bros. in a deal valued at nearly $83 billion.
A resident of a care facility in a northern suburb of Minneapolis is in custody after allegedly starting a fire that injured another resident.
The new financial aid package is expected to shore up the U.S. agricultural sector, which has been hurt by tariffs and a trade war with China.
Police have taken a 23-year-old woman into custody after a man was fatally stabbed in St. Cloud, Minnesota early Monday. The incident happened at about 4 a.m. along the 1200 Block of Washington Memorial Drive.
A 33-year-old man has been sentenced for causing a crash in Arden Hills, Minnesota, in 2024 that killed two people in their 70s.
A resident of a care facility in a northern suburb of Minneapolis is in custody after allegedly starting a fire that injured another resident.
A building housing a mosque and school in the Twin Cities is a complete loss after an overnight fire, the facility manager said.
Opposition to ICE actions is widespread among Democratic elected officials throughout the state, though nowhere more than in Minneapolis, home to the state's largest Somali population.
A man is dead after crashing his car on the side of a highway in the Twin Cities, then getting out and "walking into the lanes of traffic," where he was hit by another driver, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
Renowned architect Frank Gehry died at the age of 96 on Friday, a representative confirmed to CBS News. His worldwide legacy included two works that were constructed in Minnesota.
Out of the 1,500 men on his ship, Del Thielke was the only one selected to be aboard the USS Missouri when the peace treaty was signed.
The owner of the historic Lutsen Resort on Minnesota's North Shore has been charged with arson and insurance fraud more than a year after a fire destroyed the resort's lodge.
Minnesota will see a higher-than-expected surplus for this current budget, but is expected to see a deficit in the future due to spending outpacing revenues, according to state budget experts.
Police in Duluth, Minnesota, say a mountain lion has been spotted in the city recently.
A Superior, Wisconsin, police officer is expected to recover after being shot early Sunday morning, according to the town's mayor.
River Falls hosts St. John's this weekend in round three of the NCAA tournament.
Bodycam video captured a sheriff's deputy in Racine County, Wisconsin, saving the life of a little girl from a house fire that killed her mother and the family dog earlier this week.
A divided Wisconsin Supreme Court has agreed to take a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of an immigrant rights group.
A Democrat who served four years as Wisconsin's lieutenant governor and narrowly lost a 2022 U.S. Senate bid is running for governor in the battleground state.
Firefighters are continuing a 44-year tradition that happens every year north of the Twin Cities.
It was a scary moment in the Twin Cities over the weekend, as a trailer hauling sled dogs turned over on Interstate 494 in Minnetonka.
On Sunday, members of Minnesota's Somali community spoke out against President Trump's social media post calling for an end to temporary protected status.
Two hundred Thanksgiving meals were distributed to this community by Second Harvest Heartland and the Thielen Foundation.
A Minnesota nonprofit is getting a major boost this week as dozens of college students spend their morning sorting donated shoes to support families in need.
The new financial aid package is expected to shore up the U.S. agricultural sector, which has been hurt by tariffs and a trade war with China.
The Supreme Court heard arguments over the president's authority to remove members of many independent agencies that Congress has sought to insulate from political pressure.
Fear and uncertainty continue in Minnesota's Somali communities as ICE continues its intensified focus on the Twin Cities.
Leading Democrats are demanding the release of classified video showing a deadly U.S. military strike on a boat carrying 11 people.
Opposition to ICE actions is widespread among Democratic elected officials throughout the state, though nowhere more than in Minneapolis, home to the state's largest Somali population.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
When we do winter weather stories, there's always that one line people use: cold, snow, ice — it's just what happens here. And this week, Ticket King president Michael Nowakowski said that same idea kind of applies to Minnesota Vikings ticket prices.
Thanksgiving is a big day for the farmers who raise the centerpiece of Americans' dinner tables on the last Thursday of November. But in Minnesota, the nation's top turkey producer, the work doesn't stop once the national holiday ends.
A family-owned Linden Hills bar and restaurant is closing its doors for Thanksgiving, but opening the kitchen for those who need it most.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, Sentyrz Liquor & Supermarket turned into holiday headquarters for last-minute shoppers.
A 33-year-old man has been sentenced for causing a crash in Arden Hills, Minnesota, in 2024 that killed two people in their 70s.
Police have taken a 23-year-old woman into custody after a man was fatally stabbed in St. Cloud, Minnesota early Monday. The incident happened at about 4 a.m. along the 1200 Block of Washington Memorial Drive.
A Superior, Wisconsin, police officer is expected to recover after being shot early Sunday morning, according to the town's mayor.
Police in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, are investigating a shooting that took place Saturday afternoon.
Car thieves aren't waiting for the sun to rise in the suburbs of the Twin Cities, and neither are the police.
Inspire Change Clinic opened its doors in Minneapolis with a simple mission: provide access to marginalized communities. On Thursday afternoon, the clinic should have been bustling with a waiting room filled with families. Instead, the clinic was empty.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Cases always rise in colder months, with the use of furnaces and people working on gas motors in closed garages.
A jury has awarded an Iowa woman a $19.8 million verdict against the Mayo Clinic and a colorectal surgeon in a lawsuit brought in Minnesota courts, according to her attorneys.
ByHeart said it can't rule out that all of its baby formula across all product lots could be contaminated, citing recent test results.
Paramount Skydance's $30 per share offer comes just days after Netflix agreed to buy parts of Warner Bros. in a deal valued at nearly $83 billion.
The nominations for the 2026 Golden Globes were announced on Monday morning. Here are the nominees.
President Trump is hosting the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday after presenting medals to the 2025 Kennedy Center honorees during an Oval Office ceremony Saturday.
Frank Gehry was known for designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
Netflix on Friday said it will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.
Early in the winter season, there are always good nonconference matchups in Minnesota, including Friday, when the Chanhassen girls basketball team visited Blaine. Plus, see the results of other exciting prep games in Minneapolis, Shakopee, Andover and other areas in the state.
At almost every home Gopher women's basketball game, you can find Ryan Radunzel and his service dog Peyton courtside at the Barn.
J.J. McCarthy threw a career-high three touchdown passes in his first turnover-free game, returning from his latest injury absence in prime form for the Minnesota Vikings in a 31-0 victory on Sunday.
Aatu Raty had two goals and an assist, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Minnesota Wild 4-2 to snap a four-game skid.
Naz Reid made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining, Jaden McDaniels scored 27 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-106 on Saturday night.
Fear and uncertainty continue in Minnesota's Somali communities as ICE continues its intensified focus on the Twin Cities.
Opposition to ICE actions is widespread among Democratic elected officials throughout the state, though nowhere more than in Minneapolis, home to the state's largest Somali population.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child in this year can start applying to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Matt Varilek, the commissioner of the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development about the program's rollout and who qualifies for the program.
Minnesotans who welcomed a child this year were able to start applying this week to the state's new paid family and medical leave program to take time off in 2026.
The holidays are upon us, and in the town of Kellogg, Minnesota, you'll find a toy store unlike any other.
With the holidays fast approaching, and lutefisk on the menu for many families, one Minnesota town has the distinction of being called the "Lutefisk Capital of the Country."
How would you like to own a former Cold War missile site? In Dakota County, Minnesota, there's a one-of-a-kind property that could be yours for the right price.
It's a photograph found in homes across the country, and even overseas. The picture "Grace" shows a man bowing his head in prayer with food and what appears to be a Bible in front of him.
Fall harvest means barns across the Midwest are a busy place — but for a central Minnesota woman, they aren't just farm buildings, they're works of art.
It is the food that is top of mind right now, but did you know more turkeys come from Minnesota than anywhere else in the country?
Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnehaha, Minnetonka, Minnewaska, Minneota. Those are just some of the place names in "the Land of 10,000 Lakes" featuring "minne" as the first five letters.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we wanted to do a deep dive into gratefulness, and why it makes us feel better.
Many commuters know the Interstate 394 and Interstate 94 interchange seems to back up almost every afternoon. And you face the choice: should you wait in the back of the line or try to get closer and swoop in?
According to the Minnesota Christmas Tree Association, 50% of their farms open before Thanksgiving, which used to be unheard of.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new food, drinks and vendors for 2025.
A suspect was taken into custody after an attack on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder on June 1 in which there were 15 people and a dog who were victims. The suspect threw Molotov cocktails that burned some of the victims, who were part of a march for Israeli hostages.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says today will top out in the mid-20s with light snow brushing by the metro.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
Temperatures will top out in the 20s Monday, but deeply chilly temperatures are on their way in later this week, WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames reports.
The snow will wrap up by mid-morning, leaving a coating behind. Highs will climb to the upper 20s.
Monday will be a warmer day with light snow brushing by the Twin Cities in the evening.
WCCO meteorologist Lisa Meadows says today will top out in the mid-20s with light snow brushing by the metro.
Immigration crackdowns continue throughout the Twin Cities. Now, city officials in Burnsville confirm they are seeing immigration activity within the city limits.
Jacquelyn Carpenter shares a preview of Cookie Cart's holiday wares, along with a demonstration of the holiday decorations.
Author Sammy Bosch shares a preview of the book that can be customized for your pets.
St. Cloud police were called to an apartment early Monday morning on a report of a domestic-related stabbing.