From choosing the perfect costume to finding the best spots for trick-or-treating, Halloween is all about fun.
However, for some communities, Halloween isn't a moment of celebration but a missed opportunity to have a scary good time. So this year, M&M'S® is bringing its trademark colorful fun to Newark, New Jersey – the birthplace of America's favorite chocolate candies and a vibrant community that deserves some fun.
Today, Mars Chocolate North America announced M&M'S Brand will sponsor a two-day Halloween celebration the entire community of Newark can enjoy, complete with a Halloween pop-up M&M'S store, 15,000 free costumes, celebrity appearance from recording artist Kelly Rowland and one thing that can make any Halloween more colorful – free M&M'S® Chocolate Candies.
"Newark is a community right in our own backyard with a strong historical connection to M&M'S," said Tanya Berman, Senior Brand Director, M&M'S Brand. "I can't imagine a better way to celebrate our shared heritage than by creating an event that will enable the entire community to come have a good time this Halloween."
M&M'S will kick off its two-day Halloween celebration with the launch of the brand's first-ever Halloween themed pop-up store in the heart of downtown Newark.
Residents are invited to visit the M&M'S store, located at 744 Broad Street, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27 and Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The store will distribute up to 15,000 free children's costumes – made for children ages 12 and under – on a first-come, first-serve basis. The store also will hand out free candy to those in attendance.
To receive costumes and candy all children must be accompanied by an adult.
The fun doesn't stop there. In partnership with the City of Newark and the United Way of Essex County, the brand will host the M&M'S Family Fun Zone from 4 – 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center located at 211 West Kinney Street.
The event will feature family-friendly activities, including face painting, caricature drawing and balloonists plus free candy.
But that's not all. The evening will be headlined with a celebrity appearance from Grammy Award winning recording artist, Kelly Rowland.
The M&M'S Family Fun Zone will be open to attendees 18 and younger. A parent or guardian must accompany children 12 and under.
To keep the fun going after the event, M&M'S will donate $25,000 to the United Way of Essex County to support community-based programs.
For more information on M&M'S Family Fun Zone event, Newark residents should stay tuned to our Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/mms) and follow the conversation on Twitter (@mmschocolate) using the hashtag #HalloweenbyMMS.
People who are unable to make it to Newark can still get in on the Halloween fun by sharing a photo of how you celebrate Halloween, using #HalloweenbyMMS, for a chance to receive a sweet surprise.