National S'mores Day 2017: Free Treats, Promotional Events, and Printable Offers

National S'mores Day, observed annually on August 10, serves as a popular date for food brands, retailers, and event organizers to launch promotions centered around the classic campfire treat. In 2017, various entities across the United States offered complimentary s'mores, branded giveaways, and digital assets to celebrate the occasion. These promotions ranged from in-person events at hotels and candy shops to digital printables for educators and parents, as well as product tie-ins from major food manufacturers.

The scope of National S'mores Day 2017 freebies included hotel dining experiences, retail pop-up events, educational resources, and branded merchandise giveaways. Unlike standard product sampling programs that rely on mail-in requests or online sign-up forms, many of the 2017 s'mores offers were tied to specific locations, dates, or social media engagement. However, several food brands also integrated s'mores themes into their product lines and broader promotional calendars during this period.

In-Person S'mores Events and Retail Promotions

Several businesses hosted physical events on or around August 10, 2017, to distribute free s'mores to consumers.

Birmingham Candy Company On August 10, 2017, the Birmingham Candy Company hosted a free event at The Pizitz food court in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. To commemorate National S'mores Day, the company roasted marshmallows and assembled free s'mores bars for attendees. The giveaway began at 11:00 a.m. and continued while supplies lasted. This event was explicitly marketed as a celebration of the holiday.

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa offered a specialized s'mores experience for guests. While the resort typically offers complimentary s'mores at its fire pits throughout the summer and on most weekends, it introduced a "special, delicious twist" for National S'mores Day in 2017: bacon. The resort added bacon to the standard chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker combination to create a unique flavor profile for the holiday. This offer was available to resort guests enjoying the property's amenities, including the River Bluff Water Experience.

Cinnabon (Nurses Week Promotion) Although not specifically for National S'mores Day, Cinnabon ran a significant promotional giveaway earlier in the year during National Nurses Week (May 6–12, 2017). Healthcare professionals could redeem a free classic roll, MiniBon, or four-piece BonBites by presenting a medical ID badge. Cinnabon noted that they have supported this appreciation week since 2000, having distributed over one million cinnamon rolls to healthcare professionals.

Branded Giveaways and Contests

Marketing bloggers and lifestyle brands utilized the holiday to host giveaways, often combining s'mores themes with other products.

Tieks and Malvimallow Giveaway In August 2017, lifestyle blogger Christie Dedman hosted a "First Friday Freebies" giveaway. The prize consisted of three "Tieks girl" cups filled with Tieks blue nail polish, a nail file, and marshmallow treats from the brand Malvimallow. The giveaway was open to email subscribers, with winners selected on August 4, 2017. The promotion highlighted Malvimallow marshmallows, which are made with all-natural ingredients, and suggested roasting them to create a s'mores-like experience. The blogger specifically noted that Malvimallows could be roasted over a fire pit or heated in a toaster oven or microwave to intensify the flavor.

Digital Resources and Printables

For parents and educators, National S'mores Day 2017 provided an opportunity to access free digital content for classroom and home use.

Educational Printables A blog post by "Not in Jersey" curated a list of 30 free s'mores-themed printables available on Pinterest. These resources were categorized for specific uses: * Party Favors: Tags and wrappers for s'mores-themed parties. * Gifts: Printable designs for gifting s'mores treats. * Teacher Gifts: Resources for educators to give to students or colleagues. * Activities: Fun printables for parties or classroom activities.

Additionally, a post on "Learning with Mrs. Brinn" provided downloadable tags for treating students on the first day of school, which coincided with National S'mores Day in that district. The blog also mentioned a "back to school s'mores board" activity where students brainstormed leadership tips.

Food and Beverage Industry Tie-ins

The s'mores flavor profile was prominent in new product launches and limited-time offers during the summer of 2017.

Post Consumer Brands Post brought back Oreo O's cereal and launched new S'mores Marshmallow cereal flavors during this period. While these were retail products rather than free samples, they represented a major brand capitalizing on the s'mores trend.

Dunkin' Donuts Dunkin' Donuts introduced a new S'mores Donut and other s'mores-related menu items in 2017. The brand also offered S'mores Iced Coffee, which was mentioned by bloggers as part of the seasonal flavor lineup.

McDonald's and Burger King While specific National S'mores Day deals for these chains are not detailed in the source material, McDonald's and Burger King were active in the food news cycle during July 2017 with other promotions, such as Burger King's Lucky Charms Shake. The s'mores flavor trend extended to various ice cream retailers as well.

Ice Cream Retailers National Ice Cream Day, which occurred in July 2017, saw various retailers offering deals. Although s'mores-specific ice cream deals are not explicitly listed in the source data for that specific day, the overlap in summer holidays suggests that s'mores-flavored ice cream products were likely part of seasonal menus at chains like Cold Stone Creamery and Carvel.

Nurses Week Food Freebies

The source material provides context on how the food industry utilizes appreciation weeks to distribute freebies. In May 2017, National Nurses Week saw participation from several chains.

Starbucks Starbucks offered a heavily discounted caffeine option for healthcare providers during Nurses Week, though it was not a free item.

Chick-fil-A Notably, Chick-fil-A confirmed to International Business Times that they had no chainwide promotions planned for Nurses Week 2017, breaking from previous years' tradition of giving free chicken sandwiches to nurses.

Summary of National S'mores Day 2017 Activities

National S'mores Day 2017 was characterized by a mix of location-specific events and digital engagement. The primary free offers included: 1. Complimentary S'mores at Retail: Birmingham Candy Company (Birmingham, AL). 2. Enhanced Hotel Experiences: JW Marriott San Antonio (Bacon S'mores). 3. Brand Giveaways: Tieks/Malvimallow product bundles (via email subscription). 4. Digital Assets: Educational printables for parties and classrooms.

While mail-in sample programs and standard online product trials were not the focus of the s'mores holiday, the day served as a vehicle for experiential marketing and seasonal product promotion by food and hospitality brands.

Conclusion

National S'mores Day 2017 offered U.S. consumers a variety of free and promotional opportunities centered on the campfire treat. The most direct freebies were available through in-person events at specific retailers like Birmingham Candy Company and hospitality venues such as the JW Marriott San Antonio. Additionally, lifestyle bloggers and educators utilized the holiday to distribute digital printables and host product giveaways. The food industry supported the holiday through seasonal product launches, including s'mores-flavored cereals and donuts. Consumers seeking free s'mores experiences in 2017 needed to rely on local event listings or be guests at participating resorts, as national chain giveaways were limited to specific events or contests rather than broad sampling programs.