Sioux Falls Retailers Use Holiday Event to Boost Traffic
Downtown businesses utilize seasonal foot traffic to introduce their brands to new local customers.
Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Do you believe local business-hosted trick-or-treat events are valuable for your downtown community?
Over 30 businesses along Phillips Avenue in Sioux Falls opened their doors for a community trick-or-treat event this past weekend. The initiative serves as a localized marketing strategy to increase foot traffic and introduce downtown storefronts to new potential customers.
Why it matters
Participating in seasonal events allows brick-and-mortar operators to build brand awareness by driving high-intent pedestrian traffic directly into their stores. For small businesses, this type of organized, shared promotion is a low-cost method to capture the attention of local families who may not otherwise visit the storefront.
More than 30 businesses participated in the downtown event to engage local families. Individual operators like MatchBox Candle Co. supported the initiative by purchasing four bags of candy to facilitate engagement.
The players
MatchBox Candle Co.
A boutique retailer specializing in handmade home fragrance products.
The details
Businesses coordinate through the downtown district to turn the holiday tradition into a high-visibility engagement opportunity. By providing candy to children, store owners create a positive, low-friction entry point for parents to browse the inventory and familiarize themselves with the brand during a period of high foot traffic.
Timeline
October 25, 2026: Downtown trick-or-treating event held on Phillips Avenue.
Market Landscape
This coordinated effort follows a long-standing retail strategy of using seasonal holiday traffic to boost storefront visibility. It aligns with the broader industry trend tracked by the National Retail Federation, which sees retailers leverage seasonal events to anchor their marketing presence.
Operators should evaluate the return on investment for similar community events by tracking new customer sign-ups or coupon redemption rates during the foot traffic surge. Focus on capturing contact information from these visitors to convert one-time holiday attendees into recurring local shoppers.
The takeaway
The primary insight for operators is that seasonal events are an effective tool for neighborhood-level customer acquisition when executed in coordination with adjacent businesses. Review your calendar for upcoming municipal festivals and confirm your storefront is prepared to capture and retain the resulting foot traffic.
Further reading
For more on the retail environment in the city, visit Sioux Falls Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KELO-LAND TV.
Live Poll
Do you believe local business-hosted trick-or-treat events are valuable for your downtown community?
