COUNTY LIFE
Top Valentine’s Day candy by state
Source: CandyStore.com.
Valentine’s Day is about love and romance and spending money to demonstrate them. Last year, the National Retail Federation predicted a slight drop off in in Valentine’s Day spending in all but one category. You guessed it: candy.
As Valentine’s indulgences go, candy is a relatively inexpensive one. It’s also become a tradition to give, share and eat candy on Valentine’s Day. That could be why people are expected to spend over $1.8 Billion this year.
Using sales data from the past 11 years from our online bulk candy store and industry partners, CandyStore.com has compiled sales data to determine the most popular Valentine’s Day candy. The map above illustrates the favorite Valentine’s Day candy in each state. The results are pretty interesting.
Conversation hearts have been rising in popularity for years, but they were always stuck behind those heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. That all changed last year when conversation hearts rose above the heart boxes to claim the top spot.
That trend has continued this year, as conversation hearts stretch their lead. That trend will not continue in 2019, however.
Conversation hearts will drop by over 80%. (!) More on that here.
M&M’s moving up
M&M’s cracked more top 3 spots in 2018 than the previous year. Since introducing the Cupid’s Message M&M’s in 2017, we’ve seen a rise in M&M’s sales for Valentine’s Day.
Though M&M’s did not claim any new #1 spots for any states, it did claim 3 more #2 spots and 5 more #3 spots. It’s not easy to crack the top three with conversation hearts and heart-shaped boxes taking up so many spots. Nice work M&M’s.
Perhaps the limited re-introduction of White Cheesecake M&M’s will help boost them even more for the 2019 season.
Cupid Corn Falling Off
Candy corn didn’t do as well. It finished in the #3 spot three fewer times and in the #2 one fewer. Still hanging on in North Carolina, West Virginia and Michigan, among a few other.
This bucks a trend we saw for the Christmas season where candy corn and its seasonal variants saw increased sales.
Valentine’s Day Candy Quick Facts
43% of people said they will buy themselves a box of chocolates this year.
58 million pounds of chocolate are bought during Valentine’s Day week.
The peak selling period for conversation hearts is only 6 weeks long.
It takes manufacturers 11 months to produce enough for those 6 weeks.
Vodka infused with candy remained popular with conversation hearts last year.
Children receive 39 percent of all Valentine’s Day candy and gifts.
There was a huge turnout for the first Bowie Mini Con hosted at the Bowie Library with Freakz & Geeks Saturday. Guests, many costumed as comic book and fantasy characters, took part in gaming tourneys, crafts and other activities. More photos in your mid-week Bowie News. (News photos by Barbara Green)
Are you hankering to solve a murder? Do you need a night out where someone else cooks? How about supporting local youth?
Well, you can do it all by attending the spring murder mystery dinner theater hosted by the Bowie Alliance for Education and the Arts on May 17 and 18.
Enjoy the show, “The Groom Has Gold Feet” by Martin A. Fallose. Travel back to the old west to the sleepy town of Pine Grove. There is definitely something afoot about the upcoming wedding for Miss Kayla Mae Blossom and Albert Webster, as well as some shady characters that are attached to the situation. Join with Sheriff Tickle and his posse to discover the intrigues, and truths to the situation.
Directed by April Word and a cast including Austin Alberts, Jennifer Collins, Jamie Fabel, Deagan Fabel, Sam Goad, Boyd Hulstine, Ashley Keyes, Lia Meier, Michelle Meier, Garyson Minyard, Stephanie Post, Adryana Torres, Brandon Stott, Melanie Stott and Corban Wolsey.
Each $25 ticket covers a barbecue meal and the show. Show times are 7 p.m. on May 17 and noon and 6 p.m. on May 18.
Performances and meals will be at the Freedom Life Church, 204 Theater Rd.
Purchase tickets at bowieallianceforeducationandthearts.com.
Nocona is gearing up for the 72nd annual Chisholm Trail Rodeo May 10-11 with lots of traditional rodeo events filling the bill.
Stock for the United Professional Rodeo Association Rodeo is provided by Champion Rodeo Company. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. Children six and under get in free. Purchase them from any queen or princess or candidate, and at the city office before 4 p.m. Friday.
The association has been working on making repairs to the concrete bleachers but rain has delayed this project. Rock also is being laid in the parking lot and they hope to be finished with that before Friday.
There will be a rodeo parade at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Gates open nightly at 6 p.m. with the rodeo starting at 8 p.m. Sanctioned nightly events will feature bareback riding, saddle bronc, ranch bronc, bull riding, ladies barrel racing, tie-down roping, ladies breakaway roping, steer wrestling and team roping.
The non-sanctioned events are junior barrels for those ages 16 and under. There is $250 added each night with a jackpot nightly. Entry fee is $45. Call 940-841-2044. There will be mutton bustin’ nightly for children age 8 and under. Entry fee is $20 and buckles go to the winners.
A calf scramble nightly will be open for those age 8 and under and 9-12. Buckles to the winners.
Read the full story and meet the rodeo royal candidates in the mid-week Bowie News.
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