Walmart bringing tailgates, trick-or-treat to stores

A discount giant is providing three socially distanced fall experiences to consumers.

Following up on the success of its summer drive-in theater and virtual camp programs, Walmart will host college football pregame parties and Halloween events at select store parking lots, and also offer a virtual “Halloween Camp.”

As part of these COVID-19-compliant festivities, Walmart is bringing a farmer’s market-style tailgating event to six college towns in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsin. The “Walmart Gameday Marketplace” will feature drumlines and cheerleading squads, as well as local food trucks and school spirit shops, operating on-site before a home game of the local college football team.

Walmart is also transforming more than 100 of its store parking lots into “spooky street” trick-or-treat sites that are contact-free and socially distanced. Kids and their parents are invited to dress up and head to Walmart for these free Halloween events, which begin Thursday, Oct. 15 and run through Halloween.

“We enjoyed bringing our drive-in concept to life for customers this summer,” said William White, chief marketing officer at Walmart. “We successfully reimagined what’s possible with our digital and physical footprint to bring communities joy in a year that’s been otherwise tough. For many of us, football tailgates and Halloween parties are cornerstones of a great fall season. These additional events will give customers an opportunity to still celebrate the things they love, while staying safe."

And Camp by Walmart, produced and developed in partnership with Camp, a family experience company, and powered by the interactive video platform eko, is introducing socially distanced Halloween-themed experiences with actor Neil Patrick Harris Through Saturday, Oct. 31, customers can play family-friendly games, and make spooky projects like Halloween masks, glow-in-the-dark slime, and creepy-delicious haunted houses. To access Halloween Camp by Walmart, customers can visit walmart.com/camp or use the services tab of the Walmart app.

“We’ve heard incredibly positive feedback from consumers on the Camp by Walmart experience, so we’re thrilled to add new interactive family activities through the holidays, starting with Halloween,” said Tom Fishman, GM, consumer apps at eko. “Families continue to need to find ways to stay engaged and entertained as they hunker down at home. Our Halloween refresh of Camp by Walmart provides a fun, safe and personalized experience for them to do just that.”