Nevadans forecast to spend millions on Halloween goods

The most popular costume among adults this Halloween season is not projected to be Captain Marvel or a “Game of Thrones” character. It’s the tried-and-true witch costume, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey on Halloween spending.

For Imani Patterson, it was the exact costume she was looking to buy Friday afternoon inside the Spirit Halloween store, at 4000 Maryland Parkway.

Patterson was holding a black pointy hat as she contemplated which of the three witch costumes, inspired by characters from the Disney movie “Hocus Pocus,” to buy from the Las Vegas store.

“I work at the Boys & Girls Club, and I told all my kids I’m going to be a witch,” Patterson said.

The 25-year-old used to make her own costumes in college but prefers to buy them now.

“I don’t have the time, and I don’t want to think of a design and try to put it together and watch (how-to) videos,” she said. “I like buying costumes. I really don’t mind it now that I work with kids. If I didn’t work with kids, I wouldn’t even care about this stuff.”

Consumers in Nevada are expected to spend about $50.2 million on costumes while decorations, the second-highest grossing category, is expected to hit $42.1 million in sales, according to the Retail Association of Nevada. And local retailers are projected to sell roughly $41 million sweet treats and about $6.2 million in greeting cards.

The retail trade organization estimates Nevadans will spend about $139.4 million on Halloween-related goods.

Nationally, shoppers are projected to spend $8.8 billion for Halloween, slightly down from last year’s projected spending of $9 billion. But the National Retail Federation said this year’s total is the third-highest since it began the annual survey 15 years ago. The record was $9.1 billion set in 2017.

Many pet owners also are expected to ensure their pets are well-attired, with the retail federation estimating owners will spend $490 million on pet costumes, more than double what was spent in 2010, when the national trade organization first posed the question.

The top five most popular pet costumes are a pumpkin, hot dog, superhero, bumblebee and cat.

While national Halloween sales are projected to be lower compared with last year, Spirit Halloween Manager Michelle Beynon said she anticipates a rush this weekend and just before Halloween.

“It’s quiet and calm (now),” Beynon said. “It picks up and then goes dead, but we’re going to get insane.”

As for the most popular costumes she’s seeing?

“I’m seeing a lot of doctors,” she said. “It’s kind of weird. Police, doctors, convicts are going out the door. For kids, “Fortnite” is the most popular costume, and these parents are spending whatever they have to spend for their children.”

Natasha Perry was carrying a child’s Pikachu costume, noting that the yellow suit was her son’s second choice as she couldn’t yet find an Ash Ketchum costume, the baseball-hat wearing main character in the “Pokémon” anime series.

She said shopping for a costume each year can become expensive, but her children look forward to trick-or-treating each year, so she does her best to get the costume of their choice. Plus, she said the minute Halloween is over, her kids have already figured out next year’s costume.

“I always look for deals because I’m cheap,” she said, laughing. “My 7-year-old’s astronaut costume was $120, (but) I’ll let them wear it throughout the year. If they want to wear it to the store or to school I let them — let a kid be a kid.”

Contact Subrina Hudson at shudson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @SubrinaH on Twitter.