Case Study: Jackson Hill’s Halloween Community Arts Festival

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Timeline: October 2022
Project Type: Community Arts Programming, Event Production
Services: Strategic Planning, Project Management, Event Marketing
Clients/Partners: Jackson Hill Pop-Up Market, Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC)
Producer: Victoria Velazquez

Overview & Objective

Jackson Hill Market presented Jackson Hill’s Creepy Corner, a Halloween-themed community arts festival produced in partnership with the YerrrSpace Initiative and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC). As the fourth installment in the six-part YerrrSpace Pop-Up Series, this neighborhood-centered event brought together families, artists, and small businesses for a vibrant celebration rooted in local culture. The festival aimed to expand access to the arts, uplift small businesses, and foster civic pride through free, inclusive programming in the Jackson Hill neighborhood of Jersey City.

Strategy & Execution

Brand Strategy & Community-Building

Victoria Velazquez led the creative and strategic vision for the event, prioritizing cultural relevance, local pride, and family engagement. Inspired by her past work with the Jersey City Mayor’s Office—including the 2015 relaunch of the Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center—she positioned the event as a community-rooted Halloween celebration. Programming included live performances by local musicians, free professional portraits for families in costume, and resource tables offering information on affordable housing and voter education. VPM’s marketing strategy focused on hyperlocal outreach and community visibility, leveraging social media promotion via featured performers and vendors, cross-promotion with JCEDC, and newsletter activation through the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs. This grassroots, integrated approach drove strong attendance while reinforcing accessibility and community alignment.

Fundraising & Budgeting

The event was financed through a balanced mix of fiscal sponsorship, public grants, in-kind contributions, and earned income, all managed under the broader YerrrSpace Pop-Up Series framework. Victoria designed the budget with equity at its core: artists were paid fair wages for rehearsals and performances, vendors participated free of charge, and attendees accessed all programming at no cost with RSVP. To keep overhead low while maintaining impact, the team secured substantial in-kind support—including donated venue space and materials from Jackson Hill Market—and relied on volunteer labor from VPM’s community network. This hybrid model enabled a high-quality, no-cost experience for attendees while upholding fair compensation for artists and staff..

Strategic Partnerships & Institutional Leverage

By aligning with JCEDC, the Jersey City Arts Council, and the Office of Cultural Affairs, VPM positioned the Halloween festival as a civic and cultural partnership, maximizing institutional support and local buy-in. Vendors were curated from JCEDC’s small business pipeline, including Female King Apparel, Washed & Made Whole Soaps, Leila’s Plants, Lady G Empanadas, Sequoia’s Tea, Layered WhitLuv Bakery, and the Democratic Socialists of America—all organizations dedicated to sustainability and social equity. These partnerships helped residents engage with critical local issues such as housing affordability while also supporting the neighborhood’s creative economy. To amplify long-term visibility, VPM launched a curated Spotify playlist and a Jersey City artist directory, creating lasting opportunities for discovery and connection within the local arts ecosystem.

Legacy | Community | Brand Framework

To ensure cultural value and sustained neighborhood relevance, Victoria applied her Legacy | Community | Brand framework to guide the vision and execution of Jackson Hill’s Halloween Community Arts Festival.

Legacy: Reputation | Credibility | Resources

  • Reputation:  Rooted in institutional trust and strategic civic alignment, the event leveraged the established credibility of Jackson Hill Market, a city-backed initiative founded by Council President Joyce Watterman and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) to foster neighborhood-based entrepreneurship.

  • Credibility: With support from JCEDC and the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs, the festival elevated local arts programming as a meaningful form of civic participation.

  • Resources: VPM led all aspects of design, production, and promotional strategy, while JCEDC contributed venue access, vendor coordination, and partial technical support—ensuring a professionally executed, community-first experience.

Community: Voice | Culture | Engagement

  • Voice: The event centered the voices, traditions, and engagement of the Jackson Hill neighborhood. Local artists, performers, and community leaders were embedded throughout the program, giving the event a distinctly homegrown and representative spirit.

  • Culture: By blending Halloween festivities with neighborhood pride, the event created a culturally familiar setting that invited audiences to experience local creativity in new ways.

  • Engagement: Community outreach was executed through word-of-mouth, grassroots partnerships, and targeted digital campaigns, activating attendees from Jackson Hill and nearby neighborhoods.

Brand: Story | Offering | Impact

  • Story: The festival reframed Halloween as a celebration of local identity, where civic resources, artistic expression, and cultural heritage came together in a joyful, family-friendly atmosphere.

  • Offering: The experience combined live music, family photo sessions, vendor activations, and public service tables to create a rich, multi-dimensional community gathering.

  • Impact:

    • 200+ attendees through RSVP and walk-in participation.

    • 15 local creative professionals and cultural workers employed.

    • Strengthened trust and collaboration among city agencies, artists, and residents.

Campaign Type: Event Marketing Campaign
Role: Campaign-Project Manager, Marketing Lead
Timeline: September 2022 – October 2022

Campaign Goal + Core Elements

Purpose - To promote Jackson Hill’s Creepy Corner as a hyperlocal cultural event that celebrated Jersey City’s diverse community through targeted digital promotion, grassroots outreach, and institutional alignment. The campaign aimed to boost visibility for the Jackson Hill Market, increase civic and cultural participation, and strengthen trust between residents, artists, and city agencies—positioning the event as a replicable model for seasonal, arts-based community programming.

Key Campaign Components

  • Multi-channel email marketing coordinated through JCEDC, the Jersey City Office of Cultural Affairs, and Council President Joyce Watterman’s office.

  • Family-friendly flyers featuring clear, colorful visuals tailored for kids and caregivers; distributed through schools, community centers, faith-based groups, and digital channels.

  • Local press secured through HudsonToday, framing the event as a creative economy activation with cultural and civic significance.

  • Curated Spotify and Apple Music playlists inspired by the event’s live performers and the neighborhood’s creative energy.

  • Artist- and vendor-driven content shared across Instagram and Facebook to generate buzz and build personal connections.

  • On-site guerrilla marketing using oversized balloon signage to attract families during morning foot traffic, boosting same-day attendance.

Target Audiences

  • Jackson Hill and Bergen-Lafayette residents.

  • Multi-generational families with children.

  • Black, Latino, and immigrant communities in Jersey City.

  • Local artists, musicians, and small business owners.

  • Community leaders, organizers, and neighborhood associations.

  • Cultural institutions and media outlets focused on BIPOC narratives.

Key Campaign Activities

Digital Content: The 3-week campaign launched with a vibrant flyer series showcasing family-friendly attractions such as costume portraits, live music, and trick-or-treat giveaways. Flyers were distributed both digitally and physically. A special “Bring this flyer for a treat!” incentive encouraged engagement. These flyers were shared widely on Instagram and Facebook by performers, vendors, and community partners, and distributed through VPM’s email list. Eventbrite links were used for RSVPs, which enabled us to track conversions and collect attendee phone numbers for SMS updates. VPM also created event-themed Spotify and Apple Music playlists to extend the celebration online and spotlight local talent.

Media & Press: Coverage in HudsonToday amplified the event’s visibility as a model for cultural revitalization. Institutional partners like JCEDC, VPM, Cultural Affairs, and the Jersey City Arts Council coordinated email blasts and social reposts, elevating the festival’s public profile and emphasizing its alignment with city priorities around the arts, equity, and economic development.

Grassroots Outreach: Local volunteers with social or professional relations with local after-school programs, churches, and youth organizations enabled flyer distribution tailored to families. Visuals were designed to be bilingual (English and Spanish) and accessible to diverse literacy levels. Day-of volunteers supported event setup and documentation, contributing to storytelling content used post-event.

Community Engagement: Participating artists and vendors helped organically spread the word by sharing personalized flyers and teaser content across their networks. These shares included behind-the-scenes clips, family invites, and free admission reminders, reinforcing the event’s accessibility and authenticity. Outreach via churches, tenant groups, and block associations furthered reach among working-class families and older residents.

Experiential Touchpoints: The event featured several immersive elements: live music, family portraits, vendor booths, and free empanadas and warm beverages for kids provided by community partners like Sequoia’s Tea and Lady G Empanadas. On-site balloon signage and vendor-led sampling attracted foot traffic, while “taggable moments” like kids’ portraits were later emailed to families—creating lasting connections. Civic resource tables offered voter registration and housing information, reinforcing the event’s value beyond entertainment.

Metrics & Results

  • 200+ total attendees (RSVP and walk-in combined.)

  • 15 local creatives and cultural workers employed.

  • 100% vendor sell-through and high engagement reported.

  • Expanded access to city services, including voter registration and affordable housing resources.

  • Strengthened civic trust and cultural alignment with JCEDC, Cultural Affairs, and Jackson Hill Market partners.

Conclusion & Looking Ahead

Jackson Hill’s Creepy Corner demonstrated how seasonal programming can become a platform for community celebration, civic engagement, and economic activation when guided by a culturally relevant strategy. With its roots in hyperlocal storytelling and equitable practice, the campaign became a blueprint for neighborhood arts programming that centers community voice and delivers lasting impact. Victoria Velazquez plans to replicate this model across seasons—merging arts engagement with economic empowerment for sustainable cultural development.