M&M'S® And City Of Newark To Host Halloween Trick Or Treating Celebration

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., Oct. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Halloween is an annual invitation for kids to go door-to-door on a sweet and spooky adventure; but for some communities, Halloween isn't a moment of celebration but a missed opportunity to have a scary good time. M&M'S^® believes every community deserves the opportunity to safely celebrate Halloween the way it's intended: where every block and every knock on every door is a portal into a new and surprising, candy-filled world.  

To help celebrate Newark, New Jersey's 350^th anniversary and cap off M&M'S 75^th anniversary, the brand is bringing its trademark colorful personality back to Newark, the birthplace of America's favorite chocolate candies – and, in partnership with the City of Newark, will transform one lucky neighborhood into a family-friendly Halloween wonderland.

"When M&M'S celebrated Halloween with the Newark community last year, it was amazing to see the joy as we handed everyone their own costume," said Tanya Berman. "This year, we're taking it a step further by establishing M&M'S Street to give families an opportunity to dress up in their new costume and have a safe trick or treating experience."

Celebrating Halloween on M&M'S Street
To help the families of Newark have a colorful and safe Halloween, M&M'S is turning Howard and Morton Street into a haunted promenade – dubbed M&M'S Street. Bringing in music, activities and family-friendly entertainment and by giving members of the surrounding community decor and candy, the community-based event will satisfy thousands of little costume-clad monsters. 

Newark residents are invited to join in the Halloween fun on Thursday, October 27 to explore the spooky streets and to trick or treat. Beginning at 3 P.M. at the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center located at 211 West Kinney Street, children ages 12 and under, accompanied by their parents, are welcome to select a free costume and accessorize it with a fun prop and face painting. Then, the community can head out to M&M'S Street for more spooktacular activities and, of course, open-air trick or treating where they'll receive Mars fan-favorites like M&M'S Crispy. The event will conclude at 8 P.M.

Engaging the Newark Community
M&M'S is partnering with The United Way of Essex County for the second year in a row to help make M&M'S Street a success. To help support Newark beyond Halloween, M&M'S is donating $10,000 to the United Way of Essex County to support community-based programs throughout the year. 

"We are excited and pleased to work with M&M'S again this year to bring Newark families and youth a fun Halloween celebration," said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. "Our goal is to create a safe and colorful experience for our young people and we look forward to giving them a Halloween to remember." 

How to Enjoy M&M'S Street
M&M'S Street is a family-friendly event open to community members who are 18 and younger. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive a costume and candy. The activities, costumes and candy are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Costumes are available in a variety of sizes for children ages 12 and under.  

For more information on the M&M'S Halloween event, Newark residents should stay tuned to the brand's Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/mms) and follow the conversation on Twitter (@mmschocolate) using the hashtag #CelebrateWithM. If you are unable to make it to Newark, but would still like to be part of the Halloween fun, share a photo of how you celebrate Halloween using #CelebrateWithM.

About Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned business with more than a century of history, $35 billion in sales, and six diverse business segments producing some of the world's best-loved brands: PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, IAMS®, BANFIELD® CESAR® (Petcare); M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY®, TWIX® (Chocolate); DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES® (Wrigley); UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® (Food); ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® FLAVIA® (Drinks); and COCOAVIA® (Symbioscience). Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in 421 facilities across 78 countries, where our more than 80,000 Associates —all united by the company's Five Principles of Quality, Efficiency, Responsibility, Mutuality and Freedom –strive every day to create relationships with our stakeholders that deliver growth we are proud of.

For more information about Mars, Incorporated, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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SOURCE Mars Chocolate North America

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