There's a New Halloween Tree in Downtown Anaheim

The notion of a fanciful Halloween-themed tree might summon the timeless Ray Bradbury story to mind (indeed, it's "The Halloween Tree" we speak of), or perhaps a neighborhood shrub or bush that's rocking some twinkly autumn lights.

But a grand and towering specimen located right in the heart of a town?

That's a sight we usually see near the end of the year, when carols are fa-la-la-ing and we've got peppermint, not pumpkin, on our minds. And the big tree on display? It's typically covered in red and green baubles, a fancy topper, and multi-colored bulbs, all to signal the coming of Christmas.

The tree now on view at Center Street Promenade in Anaheim, however, isn't rocking an illuminated red-and-green look, or any snowmen or candy canes. Rather, this tree is highly October in appearance.

It's a tree themed to Halloween, and it is lined with "... 2,500 LED lights," bulbs that are orange as well as yellow and "sparkle."

The jack o'lanterns you see up on its branches? There are 97 in all, and they're boasting wide grins.

Why are those 97 jacks smiling? Because they each represent one year of a very special 97-year-old local event.

That event is the long-running Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade, which will mark its first century in just a few years.

The 2020 festival is going virtual, and the beloved parade will be a drive-thru happening on Oct. 24, while the tree is brand-new addition to the fall-focused fun.

It will be on view all October, and it is free to see. And if you'd like to see the tree in full and eerie glow? Go after sundown, of course.

You can jumpstart the jack o'lantern vibes from home, though, by checking out the Anaheim Fall Festival site.

New content is going up throughout the month, all to bring some of the nostalgic and old-timey charms of the gathering to fans across Southern California and beyond.

It's a sweet sight in a year that needs a few more of those, and a way for a popular local happening to connect with fans in a new and safe way. Could Anaheim's Halloween tree be here to stay?

Here's hoping all of those jack o'lantern lights are back to add grins to October 2021.