The first day of school is fast approaching, and while students and parents are doing some back-to-school shopping this weekend, they can also celebrate the upcoming year and win some prizes.
On Aug. 24, the Kings Plaza Mall is hosting a Back to School Carnival in collaboration with CaribStar Radio and retail real estate company Macerich.
“As a company, Macerich is dedicated to giving back to our local communities,” said Dawn Simon, area senior marketing manager at Macerich. “As the new school year begins, we are committed to ensuring that every child is prepared to succeed. Back-to-School is the perfect time for our centers to connect with our shoppers through entertainment, giveaways and community engagement. With our programming and donations, we are confident that our New York centers will serve as a vital part of this year’s back-to-school preparations.”
Between 2-5 p.m., kids and parents can unwind with games, prizes, face painters, music, giveaways, and more. They can also show their same-day receipt showing they spent $50 or more at a number of stores within the mall to receive a free backpack stuffed with school supplies.
Back-to-school can be a challenging time — on average, families can expect to spend $875 on school clothes, electronics, and supplies, according to MarketWatch. That includes backpacks, pens and pencils, notebooks, calculators, and sometimes tissues or cleaning supplies for the classroom.
To help ease the strain, Kings Plaza will also make a $2,500 donation to P.S. 276 The Louis Marshall School in nearby Canarsie.
“I am always thrilled to partner with Kings Plaza and Macerich to provide school supplies for our community during the back-to-school season,” said state Sen. Roxanne J. Persaud, in a statement. “Donations like these serve as the vital support needed to give back and make a positive impact together.”