M&M'S Scares up Halloween Fun with Pop-Up Store

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, N.J. – the birthplace of America's favorite chocolate candies and a vibrant community that deserves some fun. Mars Chocolate North America's 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, say company officials. "Newark is a community right in our own backyard with a strong historical connection to M&M'S," says Tanya Berman, senior brand director, M&M'S Brand, at Mars Chocolate North America, based in Hackettstown, N.J. "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 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. 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. The evening will be headlined with a celebrity appearance from Grammy Award winning recording artist, Kelly Rowland. "Mars Chocolate North America, makers of M&M'S, has been a long-standing supporter of New Jersey and I'm thrilled they have turned their attention to our city this Halloween," says Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. "M&M'S is offering the residents of Newark a safe and family-friendly environment to have some fun, and we hope it will be an event this community will remember for years to come." 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. "Our partnership with M&M'S represents our mission to continue to serve the community by building partnerships that can make a difference," says Catherine Wilson, acting CEO of United Way of Essex and West Hudson. "Thanks to the donation from M&M'S, we'll have the resources to serve more children and families in the community." 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.