Teal Pumpkin Food Allergy Trick-Or-Treat Alternative Offered At State Farm Arena

ATLANTA — Not all pumpkins are orange this Halloween season. And not all trick-or-treaters can eat candy.

Through Monday, anyone attending an event at State Farm Arena can find the Atlanta Hawks' contribution to the Teal Pumpkin Project, an initiative dedicated to including young people who have food allergies in the fun of Halloween.

“We’re always looking for those opportunities where we can bring inclusion into our arena,” Camye Mackey, chief people, diversity and inclusion officer for the Atlanta Hawks organization, told Patch. “We’re committed to fostering an environment that embraces all communities with equality and respect.”

The Teal Pumpkin Project offers alternatives to sweet treats that may not be healthy for some trick-or-treaters. One in 13 children have food allergies but still deserve an opportunity to have fun during the Halloween season. So the Teal Pumpkin project provides toys, trinkets and fun gifts for kids instead of candy. Parents of children with food allergies are encouraged to look for teal pumpkins as they go out for Halloween fun.

Since State Farm Arena already has an award-winning space to accommodate guests who need help with sensory processing needs — Kulture City's Sensory Inclusive Room, in place since 2017 — the Hawks decided to set up their Teal Pumpkin initiative there.

"If you are a family and you have a child or multiple children that have sensory opportunities that may hinder you from things that other families might do like going to the movies, going to enjoy a concert or going into our games, this provides a lot a families entertainment options that they may not have experienced in years,” Mackey said. “So the response has been very, very positive.”

While the sensory-inclusive room is open near customer service year-round, the Teal Pumpkin opportunity will only last through Monday.

Here are the events happening at State Farm Arena that will provide access to the Teal Pumpkin room:

• Friday – Enrique Iglesias & Ricky Martin
• Saturday – Erykah Badu
• Monday – Hawks vs. Wizards

People can visit Teal Pumpkin Project online to get more information on how to create their own Teal Pumpkin opportunities for Halloween or what to look for when taking their children trick-or-treating.