Halloween crowds pack Westfield’s East Dudley Avenue, named America’s ‘Trick-or-Treatiest’ street
Thousands flocked to Union County neighborhood as East Dudley Avenue earns national Halloween honor and hosts inaugural block party.
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Union County’s East Dudley Avenue has officially been named America’s “Trick-or-Treatiest” street, earning national recognition from the Reese’s Brand at The Hershey Company and drawing thousands of Halloween visitors to the neighborhood.
A steady stream of pedestrians filled the street Saturday as trick-or-treaters and families gathered to celebrate the designation. In addition to traditional Halloween festivities, Reese’s also hosted a block party, a new feature for this year’s event.
Westfield was selected over 149 other contenders from across the country to receive the title.
Mayor Jeremy Berman said the honor generated excitement throughout the community.
“To not only win the trick-or-treatiest street in America, but also to win it in the very first year is an honor for our town. I think all of our townspeople are super excited about it,” he said.
Children dressed as characters ranging from Mario and Luigi to Buzz Lightyear lined East Dudley Avenue in search of Halloween candy as crowds packed the neighborhood.
For many visitors, the event stood out even among decades of Halloween celebrations.
“More special here than anywhere around that I can remember or recall ever, even dating back to the 90s,” said Justin Robbins, of Union.
U.S. Sen. Cory Booker was among those who attended. He said he wanted to experience Westfield’s Halloween tradition firsthand.
“This is my first Westfield Halloween and we heard so much about it. I wanted to come out here with my wife Alexis...I’m really blown away by the generosity of the people that are here and the incredible Halloween spirit,” Booker said.
That community enthusiasm ultimately helped distinguish Westfield from the other finalists, according to Reese’s Brand at The Hershey Company.
“They are all in, they believe in it thoroughly. The participation, the creativity and the community spirit that rallies everyone together,” said Vivek Mehrotra, associate director of media strategy for Reese’s Brand at The Hershey Company.
Berman estimated that approximately 10,000 visitors would attend between the Reese’s block party and trick-or-treating activities, though he said attendance could exceed expectations.
The large crowds even created an unexpected challenge for some residents. Several homeowners ran out of candy around sundown after handing out thousands of pieces throughout the day.
“We thought we had enough candy to last the night, but we made it till about 6:30 p.m. Five thousand pieces of candy...next year we might have to get 10,000 next year,” said homeowner Jeremy Rosenberg.
Hackensack was also among the 150 contenders considered for the national title.
