Do you have a favorite Halloween candy? Whether you love a good sour gummy or love sinking your teeth into dark chocolate, a new report shows just how American’s love of sweets during the Halloween season shakes out.
Career site, Zippia recently used Google Trends to examine 50 different popular candies and how often each one is searched for within the U.S. From there, they determined the fave Halloween candy of each state and spoiler: gross candy is not excluded from the results.
photo: Courtesy of Zippia
While Starburst was the overall fave last year, Kit Kats and Twix bars are the hot candy for 2021. On a whole, chocolate candy wins out over non-chocolate options in general.
Some other notable results include West Virginia’s weird love of Candy Corn, Tennessee devours Runts, Colorado digs Black Licorice and Oklahoma gums out over Circus Peanuts (yes, THOSE circus peanuts).
As lazy summer days give way to school supply runs, it’s high time to check off every item on your summer bucket list. Take a whirl on Navy Pier’s Ferris wheel (those views though!), hit up the museums you’ve neglected, spend a summer day at the zoo and run away to join the circus. Wait. . . What?! Midnight Circus in the Parks kicks off its tour in parks across the city Sept. 11. Read on to hear how this community circus is asking you to join them in giving back to the parks we all love. . . and all you have to do is show up!
Big Top Pop-Up in Your Local Park
"Midnight Circus takes place in an intimate one-of-a-kind little big top that sets up right in the very heart of each Chicago neighborhood we play. . . the local park!" shares co-founder Jeff Jenkins. "The cast is a wildly eclectic and award-winning group of artists that put together a show that is so jam-packed, exciting and unique that it is the only American circus to ever play the world-renowned Montreal Circus Festival." Indeed this circus offers a little bit of everything, from trapeze thrills to tightrope high jinx. The troupe includes ultra-talented acrobats, aerialists, eccentrics and one super smart (and sweet!) rescued dog.
A Family Circus
Jenkins and his wife, Julie founded the circus in 2007 after a work trip to Europe, where they fell in love with the small circuses that performed in the parks and piazzas of France and Italy. They wanted to create an intimate show that would bring families and communities together for an evening of carefree fun. Their two kids, Max and Samantha, have literally grown up onstage, alongside their parents, and it's a joy to see this family working and laughing together each and every show.
Circus Fun at Your Feet
Midnight Circus constructs its "Little Big Top" tent the day before the show, beginning an exciting setup for the neighborhood kids to watch. Under the colorful big top, bleachers accommodate about 500 people, and there's no such thing as a bad seat. The littlest circus-goers are welcome to sit in the grass at the foot of the bleachers, so bring a blanket and be ready to have the show at your feet.
Building Community. . . One Circus at a Time
Attracting over 15,000 people every year, from the far south side to the north, the circus has raised over $1 million dollars for Chicago parks. "From day one the idea was to bring families and communities together for a world-class circus experience right in their local park and raise money to rebuild the playground," Jeff explains.
Not only are they raising funds, they truly are building communities and creating positive memories for kids who would not otherwise have access to this type of entertainment. Kids from neighborhoods that lack the amenities some of us take for granted: bowling alleys, movie theaters, playspaces, or even safe places for kids to just be kids. Click here to watch a video on Englewood's collective excitement and gratitude when Midnight Circus appeared in their park.
As parents, artists, community activists and life-long Chicagoans, the Jenkins duo believes that access to great public parks and public schools are the foundation upon which a great city is built. That, in short, is why they do what they do.
Run Away with the Midnight Circus
For its 2021 run, Midnight Circus will perform 45-minute shows in 5 Chicago parks from Sep. 11-Oct. 9. Tickets are available at midnightcircus.net and admission is free.
2021 Schedule
September 11: Foster Park
September 18: McKinley Park
September 25: Lake Shore Park
September 28 & 29: Ridge Park
October 2 & 3: Humboldt Park
October 9: Welles Park
Beyond the Circus Tent
It's not just about the circus life for Jeff, who also spends a lot of time in the south and west sides of Chicago engaged in civic work. He, along with his rescued pit bulls, June Bug and Rosie Rae, in collaboration with the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago visit Chicago Park District camps all summer long in an effort to educate and entertain. Click here to watch an inspiring video highlighting Jeff's work to end the cycle of dogfighting in the most vulnerable neighborhoods.
Jeff wholeheartedly believes the intrigues of the circus and people's natural inclination to be drawn to dogs are both great conduits to reach young people. And the work he does with both fulfills his goal of reaching people in communities that are often overlooked.
Editor’s note: We’re making every effort to provide you with the most up-to-date information. However, sometimes closures occur at the last minute due to circumstances beyond our control, such as the spread of COVID-19. We highly recommend that you call ahead before you pack your kids pack your kids (and all those snacks, and diapers…) and haul them across town. Stay safe!
This month is full of free and cheap things to do with your family in the Bay Area including pumpkin patches that you can visit with your family and loads of farms with baby animals that are great for visitors. Scroll through and pick some of your favorites for your October calendar!
CuriOdyssey's Autumn Nights Festival
CuriOdysse
Celebrate the spirit of Halloween every Friday and Saturday night in October at CuriOdyssey’s Autumn Nights, a glowing harvest festival for families! Dance to spooky music and celebrate with a cash bar. Explore a land of creepy and fun jack-o-lanterns. Meet animals up-close and see them enjoy Halloween-themed wildlife enrichment. Event details.
This October, take the Bay Day Trail Challenge and pledge to walk, run, bike, wheel or paddle 25-miles along the Bay Trail or choose five adventures to connect and engage with the Bay, your way. There are more than 350 miles of open space and trails to explore and there’s an adventure for everyone. Complete the challenge and you’ll be entered to win the grand prize. Event details.
Zoppe Italian Family Circus Drive-In
Zoppe Family Circus
The Zoppé Italian Family Circus welcomes guests into a classic drive-in style event for their 2020 performance. For 2020, Zoppé brings a show timely referred to as “The Show Must Go On”. This one-ring circus honors the best history of their 178 year old Old-World Italian tradition and stars Nino the Clown, along with many other thrilling acts. Uniquely intertwining historic footage and live performances, this is a show only a pandemic could create. Event details.
SFMOMA Reopens with Free Admission
SFMOMA
The museum is open to the public (at 25% capacity) with two weeks of Free Community Days and free parking at the museum. Come back and enjoy the tranquil galleries, airy terraces, kid-friendly spaces, and world-class artwork you love, or visit for the first time and discover something new. Oct. 4-18. Event details.
Safely enjoy seasonal menus, craft cocktails and Beetlejuice under the stars. Purchase your drive-in movie ticket and order a to-go meal to enjoy with the show. Oct. 17. Event details.
Take Your Kids on a Bay Area Scavenger Hunt
WolfmanSF via Wikimedia Commons
Ready for a little home town adventure? This scavenger hunt idea will have you exploring the San Francisco Bay Area with the kids in a totally COVID-19 safe way. Hop in the car or head out on your bikes to find these Bay Area landmarks and Insta-perfect locations. You can download this scavenger hunt for kids here.
Visit the SF Botanical Garden
Kathryn Rummel
See what's in bloom at this massive garden in Golden Gate Park. Advance purchase of tickets is suggested. SF residents get in free every day. Admission is free to everyone daily from 7:30-9 a.m. and all day on the second Tuesday of the month. Event details.
Hike + Read at the Presidio's Storywalk
Allison Farrel
Read The Hike by Alison Farrell while exploring the Presidio. Join three friends on a hiking adventure while learning about nature in your national park. Event details.
Check out these roadside oddities
Garrick Ramirez
If you need to get out of the house and hit the road, these roadside oddities are the perfect destination. Can you check them all off?
While we can't visit the California Academy of Science at the moment, you can still see how the penguins are doing via three cameras in their enclosure. Then, head over the live Philippine Coral Reef camera to see all the unique creatures that make up that exhibit. You can also check out all the Academy's fascinating specimens here (see Research Specimens on the right-hand side).
This webcam will give you a live look at the PIER 39 sea lions and Alcatraz Island. Learn all about these amazing creatures and why they came to live at PIER 39 after the 1989 earthquake here.
A quintessential activity for Bay Area residents is walking across the Golden Gate Bridge. You can do that from the Marin side at the water level by parking at Fort Baker (near the Bay Area Discovery Museum) and walking the steep climb a mile uphill to get to the bridge. Another alternative is to park at the North Tower Golden Gate Parking lot (or nearby along Conzelman Road if the lot is full). Don't miss a walk to the Ridge Battery for some of the best views. See more of our Marin Headlands faves here.
Whether your idea of fun is enjoying a cascading waterfall or spending some time walking trough a Japanese tea garden, Golden Gate park is the place to be. It has over 1,000 acres to explore. Find a full list of all the free fun in Golden Gate Park here.
With gorgeous weather pretty much year round, it's always a good time to head out and explore a new trail. In the spring you can check out all of the local waterfall hikes. Even the youngest walkers will enjoy these hikes that are perfect for them. Or, strap the kids in the stroller and set out on one of these paths that are perfect for stroller hikes.
See the sea life at a nearby tide pool
Kate Loweth
Check the tide schedule and pick a time when the tide is super low before heading out to one of your local tide pools. Kids will love searching for the colorful sea stars, quick-as-lightning minnows and clunky sea snails. The James Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Half Moon Bay is an ideal spot for tide pool novices as they often have docents there on the weekends to point out all the critters to the kids.
Over the past few months Disney has needed to pivot, releasing movies such as Artemis Fowl and Hamilton straight to Disney+ instead of theaters. Today, the new trailer for the upcoming film Disney’s The One and Only Ivan was debuted by the streaming service. The One and Only Ivan will stream exclusively on Disney+ on Aug. 14.
Ivan is a 400 pound silverback gorilla that has grown up in the circus. He has few memories of the jungle where he was captured, but when a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, it touches something deep within him. Ruby is recently separated from her family in the wild, which causes him to question his life, where he comes from and where he ultimately wants to be.
The heartwarming adventure is based on Katherine Applegate’s Newbery Award winning book. It comes to the screen in an impressive hybrid of live-action and CGI.
The film stars Sam Rockwell as the voice of Ivan; Angelina Jolie as the voice of Stella; Danny DeVito as the voice of Bob the dog; Helen Mirren as the voice of Snickers the poodle; Brooklynn Prince as the voice of Ruby; Ramon Rodriquez as the mall employee George; Ariana Greenblatt as George’s daughter Julia; Chaka Khan as the voice of Henrietta the chicken; Mike White as the voice of Frankie the seal; Ron Funches as the voice of Murphy the rabbit; Phillipa Soo as the voice of Thelma the parrot; and Bryan Cranston as Mack, the mall’s owner.
Animal Crackers premiered at the Annecy French animation festival in 2017, will return to Annecy 2020 Online (Jun.15-30) after being acquired by Netflix. The trailer dropped earlier this week as Netflix announced that it will stream the feature Jul. 24 in nearly 200 countries. In this animated film, a family must use a magical box of Animal Crackers to save a run-down circus from being taken over by their evil uncle Horatio P. Huntington.
The film is directed by Tony Bancroft (Mulan) and Scott Christian Sava and features voice work by John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Danny DeVito, Ian McKellen, Raven-Symoné, Harvey Fierstein, Sylvester Stallone, Gilbert Gottfried, Patrick Warburton and Tara Strong.
Prince Harry will introduce a special Thomas the Tank Engine special airing on Netflix next month to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the beloved children’s brand. The special pays homage to the show’s British heritage and features animated versions of his grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen and HRH and his father, The Prince of Wales as a child. In the episode, Thomas travels to London for the first time on a mission to take Sir Topham Hatt to Buckingham Palace.
Actress Rosamund Pike voices a new character, Duchess of Loughborough, and said it was “an absolute honour” to guest star in the 75th anniversary special.
“Since the beginning, Thomas & Friends has celebrated friendship and teamwork through storytelling which has cultivated fan love across generations. In this milestone 75th year, we are releasing more storytelling content than ever before to engage the next generation of fans,” said Chuck Scothon, SVP and GM of Infant and Preschool, Mattel.
Actor and singer Kevin Jonas joins in the celebration which also includes exciting partnerships, engaging apps and e-books, brand-new music plus new episodic content and specials.
Jonas is teaming up with Mattel and video app Caribu to read classic Thomas & Friends books to celebrate the iconic children’s books. Jonas will be releasing new videos each week throughout the month of May, with the first story available starting Apr. 28.
On May 4, Mattel is collaborating with Calm to offer kids a new way of engaging with Thomas & Friends through mindfulness. The content will be available for free for the month of May on the Calm app, with two more new content releases coming later in the year.
In addition, extreme action sports group Nitro Circus, will be releasing an epic Thomas & Friends train adventure for a Life-Size Toys episode on Quibi May 25.
For more information on Thomas & Friends 75th anniversary activities, please visit Thomasandfriends.com.
After a long day of working from home and distance learning, you and your kids deserve an ice cream party. Walmart now has new varieties that will satisfy everyone. The flavors include Margarita Lemon-Lime Sherbet, Root Beer & Vanilla Float Ice Cream, nostalgic Circus Cookie Ice Cream, and Mango Habanero Coconut Ice Cream.
Depending on location, all four flavors are available for pickup and delivery via the Walmart Grocery app and retail for about $3.
Unleash your inner cookie monster. Two new cookie themed flavors are coming to Cold Stone Creamery. Better yet, each flavor will be featured in their own ice cream creation.
The Circus Animal Cookies Ice Cream is featured in Cold Stone’s new It’s a Circus in Here! creation. This creamy treat features Mother’s circus animal cookies, marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles.
In addition to the circus-inspired dessert, Cold Stone is also releasing Golden OREO Cookie Ice Cream. This new flavor is the star in Cold Stone’s new Good as Gold ice cream creation featuring Golden OREOs, strawberries, caramel and whipped topping.
“We wanted to bring nostalgic childhood cookie favorites to guests but with a Cold Stone Creamery twist,” said Sara Schmillen, vice president of marketing at Kahala Brands, parent company of Cold Stone Creamery. “These iconic cookies paired with our super-premium ice cream will delight customers of any age!”
Both of these flavors and creations will be available until April 14.
What’s your least favorite Halloween candy? Even though there’s so much chocolate and sugar-coated awesomeness to choose from, CandyStore.com combined 12 lists from the web and survey data from 40,000 of its customers to come up with the worst Halloween treat picks of the year.
So how does this mix of lists and survey data get to the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the worst Halloween candies? CandyStore.com weighted each best/worst list, giving each candy a different point value based on rank. The site then totaled the points and created their own 10 worst Halloween candies list!
What candy took top honors as the worst? Oh-so-surprisingly, candy corn came in at number one. Last year’s number one, circus peanuts, fell to number two and peanut butter kisses (not cups!) was number three.
The rest of the list included (in order starting at number four), wax Coke bottles, Necco Wafers, Tootsie Rolls, Smarties, licorice, Good & Plenty and Bit-O-Honey.
If you’re curious what candies Americans actually like, CandyStore.com’s best 10 list includes (in order starting at one), Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, Twix, Kit Kat, M&Ms, Nerds, Butterfingers, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles and Hershey Bars.
The bustling harbor around San Francisco’s landmark Ferry Building can easily become your kiddo’s favorite spot to disembark when you are in the know about where to go. Cruise the Ferry Building and its plaza and you’ll find ferries and fireboats, produce and playgrounds, adventure and history, and more. Here are our picks for what to see, do, and explore at this popular waterfront hub.
photo: Kate Loweth
View from the Bay Built in 1898, the Ferry Building is located at the end of Market Street, with a sprawling plaza between. Vintage streetcars (which take you down to Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf) use the plaza for turn-around. You can arrive at the Ferry Building by bus, streetcar, car, or boat. The west side, along the Embarcadero boasts market stand on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the east side is host to the Saturday farmer’s market. The east side is also where the ferries dock. Look (and listen) for its turn-of-the-century clock tower.
photo: Amber Guetebier
Romp However you get there, hungry and thirsty troops can head straight inside. The more energized set can head south toward the Bay Bridge. Watch for info kiosks about sea life, as well as the historical signage and embedded sidewalk plaques which are part of the Barbary Coast Trail. Your little ones will look mighty small compared to the giant sculpture of a Bow and Arrow.
photo: Amber Guetebier
Head a little further south to check out SFPD’s Station 35, home of the fireboats! You’ll be likely to spot the fire-engine too. Be sure and look for the Popeye logo on the side. Once you’ve appeased your mini-heroes, head back toward the Ferry Building, making a stop at Pier 14 to get a new perspective of the fire-boats and ferry terminals.
photo: Kate Loweth
Chomp Come here hungry. In addition to stalls teeming with fresh produce, there are dozens of restaurants and food stands in and around the Ferry Building. Kids will love the Cowgirl Creamery grilled cheeses and Acme Bread Company offers an array of sandwiches. On weekends you can find the most divine biscuits (bacon maple is our favorite) at Biscuit Bender. This weekend-only stand is located right next to MIJITA. Take your noshes out to a bench and watch the ferries come and go.
photo: Kate Loweth
For a more sophisticated sit-down meal, we definitely recommend you booking a table at Boulettes Larder. Offering breakfast, lunch and everyone’s favorite Sunday brunch, the entrees focus on fresh, local ingredients and the Bloody Marys come with a kick. Nab a table on the water side and don’t forget to save room for the beignets—they are out of this world!
photo: Kate Loweth
The line at Humphry Slocombe shows that Ferry Building visitors know a good thing when they see it. Expect to find innovative flavors here with Blue Bottle Vietnamese Coffee and Secret Breakfast (bourbon and cornflakes) being local favorites and Malted Milk Chocolate a kid fave.
photo: Amber Guetebier
Shop The Book Passage has a wonderful kid’s section that includes tiny chairs and a small selection of toys and puppets. Kids will appreciate the wild variety of mushrooms at Far West Fungi and the Ferry Buildings boat-centric goodies at Bay Crossings.
Fog City Flea
Fog City Flea brings an eclectic lineup of makers and merchants from the Bay Area and beyond offering handcrafted jewelry, apparel, accessories, apothecary, housewares, furnishings, and well-edited vintage. Curated exclusively for the Ferry Building by the team behind Upstate New York’s renowned Phoenicia Flea, Fog City Flea takes place Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through November 17, 2019.
Flea market shoppers are invited to bring along the whole family and experience the Flea Circus Kids’ Activity Area, which includes face painting, arts and crafts stations, a coloring zone, a Lego zone, games and more, with a weekly rotating theme. Tickets for the Flea Circus will be available for $10 per guest and cover all activities. The Flea Circus will be held every Sunday through November 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the foot of the front staircase leading up to the Grand Hall, where Fog City Flea takes place.
photo: Kate Loweth
Stomp (and Roll) Burn off that second scoop at Sue Bierman playground. Located across the street (and just north) from the Ferry Building, this picture-perfect playground includes a killer view of Coit Tower. The area along the Embarcadero is awesome for skates, scooters, and bikes. Bike rentals are available near the front of the building.
photo: Kate Loweth
Another fun area to run around is at the Vaillancourt Fountain, located right next to Sue Bierman Park. It’s a nice cool spot to sit with a picnic while the kids follow the concrete steps behind the falling water. Don’t miss a visit to the always-free San Francisco Railway Museum, a great place to learn about this area’s history. It’s located right next to the fountain in the same building as the Hotel Vitale.
photo: Kate Loweth
Go Beyond Still want more? Travel north on the Embarcadero and you’ll find the Exploratorium. It’s an easy walk from the Ferry Building and you can grab a pedicab for tired legs on the way back. Travel south on the Embarcadero to the South Beach neighborhood, just a few blocks past the Bay Bridge, and you’ll find the home of the SF Giants, Oracle Park.
Getting There Nearly every transit line in the city converges nearby. You can take MUNI, BART (to Embarcadero station), or hop on a ferry if you are coming from the North, East, or South Bay. There are also a handful of parking garages and metered parking. This is a hot-spot for tickets, so watch the time limit even if you’ve pumped the meter with quarters!
photo: Kate Loweth
Make it a Staycation
We love the Hotel Vitale for it’s perfect location right across the street from the Ferry Building. You’ll get Bay views from the roof decks and loads of activities for families right around the corner. Parents can relax with massages at the on-site spa. Kids will especially love the Embarcadero Explorers Package that comes with four tickets to the Exploratorium, kids binoculars to scope out the Bay Bridge and a fun gift bag that includes a kids’ Giants hat, SF puzzle, color-changing sunglasses and more.
Good to Know There are two restrooms located in the Ferry Building. On Jackson Street at Davis, just a few blocks past the playground, there’s a Safeway and a less-crowded Starbucks. The Embarcadero Center also has public restrooms and more shopping.
Insider’s Tip: The farmers market is open three days a week—Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Saturday market can get pretty crowded and navigating a stroller can be a challenge. There are free guided walking tours at noon on Tuesdays and Saturdays, courtesy sfcityguides.org.
