ANAHEIM : Halloween Festival Avoids Cancellation

The city’s annual Halloween festival and parade are no longer in danger of being canceled, officials said.

The festival is scheduled to run from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. Earlier this summer, officials said they might not stage the 62nd annual Halloween bash because they might not be able to afford liability insurance.

Chris Jarvi, Anaheim parks, recreation and community services director, also was concerned that preparations for the festival already were behind schedule. But that picture has changed, Jarvi said.

Bob D. Ricks, an Anaheim attorney, has agreed to be the Halloween Festival Inc. president for the third consecutive year.

Ricks said he had considered bowing out last June because of the lack of volunteers, professional staff and a coordinating center. Now, help such as that will come from the city’s Chamber of Commerce, whose staff will be hired by the festival group to act as a “coordinating message center,” Ricks said.

Chamber executive director Allan Hughes said the chamber, which agreed to participate a few weeks ago, also is considering sponsoring one of the festival’s events to generate additional revenues. Halloween Festival Inc., which runs the four-day festival, splits profits with all sponsoring groups of booth sales, a carnival, pancake breakfast and other activities.

Officials also said that finding liability insurance coverage will not be as big a problem as feared. They reported finding insurance with a premium of about $3,000 for $1-million coverage, and Ricks said his group will be able to cover the cost.

Anaheim merchants began the festival more than six decades ago to provide children a safe place to go during Halloween, Ricks said.

“That’s still the purpose--to bring out the positive and the fun of Halloween,” Ricks said.