SOUTH PORTLAND, ME — American Idol star Julia Gagnon will have a free Halloween performance at the Maine Mall-area Goodwill store 4:30-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. Gagnon, a former Goodwill NNE employee, learned interpersonal skills working at the Falmouth, ME Goodwill that she now uses in her singing career. Now, Gagnon is giving back to the local nonprofit by helping to promote sustainable Halloween shopping. 

“In the three years I worked at Goodwill, I learned how to talk with people and the fact that everyone has a different story that is unique and beautiful in their own way,” Julia said. “I also learned how important shopping secondhand can be when it comes to the environment.” As advocates for sustainable fashion, Julia and Goodwill NNE are partnering up to bring a special DIY costume shopping experience that celebrates secondhand.

About 83% of costumes end up in landfills. Shopping secondhand, especially for Halloween, has never been more important. A leader in reuse, Goodwill NNE diverts 50+ million pounds of donated goods from landfills annually and makes shopping secondhand accessible and affordable. That’s important because according to Goodwill Industries International’s 2024 Halloween Survey, inflation is impacting what families are able to spend on Halloween costumes this year.

The survey shows that more people are planning DIY costumes this year with pop-culture and character-based costumes leading in popularity. Julia and Goodwill NNE will be serving thrifted costume inspiration like “how to make an idol” on their social media platforms and in-person at the event. 

“The average consumer can no longer afford to spend $50 dollars on something they’ll only wear once,” said Goodwill NNE’s Vice President of Retail, Dave Robison. “We’re here to provide affordable, sustainable costumes that offer room for creativity, and discourage throw-away culture.”

Revenue from Goodwill NNE stores goes towards funding their mission of helping people achieve personal stability in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. We at Goodwill like to call it value shopping, with values.

Julia and her fiancé Nate will be performing a mini-concert followed by a meet-and-greet at the event on Oct. 18  at the Goodwill store at 555 Maine Mall Road in South Portland. With your support, we’ll make a difference to people in our northern New England community, and the planet.