Halloween Jack O’Lantern
Nearly 8 million New Yorkers will be purchasing candy this Halloween, joining 94 percent of Americans polled by the National Retail Association.
According to the sales data from the online retailer Candy Store, Sour Patch Kids are the New York State candy favorite. From 2007-2015, New Yorkers have ordered an average of 198,000 pounds of Sour Patch Kids from the online store in the three months leading up to Halloween. For those looking to diversify their candy bowl offerings, the runner-ups are Candy Corn (95,000 pounds) and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (39,600 pounds).
“Like the undead, New York City’s Halloween economy comes to life around this time every year,” said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. “I encourage all ghosts, ghouls, and goblins to shop local and support small businesses during this spooky season.”
New York City is currently home to 37 candy manufacturing plants employing approximately 520 workers. Of these factories, half exclusively produce chocolate goods. These numbers do not take into account employment in the city’s 2,477 candy stores.
The second most popular tradition during Halloween is pumpkin purchasing and decorating. Last year, 489,000 pounds of pumpkins were harvested on 4,400 acres of land in New York State, making New York one of the top ten producers of the winter squash. Pumpkins in the City cost $22.60 per thousand lbs., almost double the national average of $12.00.
For horror movie lovers, our state has the third most motion-picture theaters in the nation. Of the 265 located in the state, 57 reside in New York City. These motion pictures also employed 1,974 people in New York City last year.
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