Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns, featuring a display of artist-carved pumpkins at the Chicago Botanic Garden, returns for 10 nights in advance of Halloween. More than 1,000 hand-carved, real pumpkins lit with LED lights will light up the night and line the family-friendly outdoor paved path in a beautiful fall setting. 

“Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns is a great opportunity to spend a crisp evening outdoors with friends and family while being entertained along the way,” said Jodi Zombolo, associate vice president, Visitor Events & Programs. “There’s always something new to see at this annual fall tradition, and this year attendees are also encouraged to wear costumes, grab a glow-in-the-dark temporary tattoo for kids, and share their experience on Instagram for a chance to win tickets to Lightscape.”

Along the path of 1,000 glowing pumpkins, there will be approximately 80, some as large as 150 pounds, that are intricately carved with themes including re-creations of popular album covers, eerie cartoons, haunted tales from Chicago, vibrant Día de los Muertos tributes and much more. Artists for the east coast-based company Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns spend 8 to 10 hours to illustrate and then 10 to 20 hours to paint and carve each large pumpkin. Adding to the festive fall feeling, the route will also include live carving demonstrations, costumed entertainers, and seasonal light fare and drinks for purchase. 

This year’s event runs for 10 evenings from Wednesday, October 16, through Sunday, October 20, and Wednesday, October 23, through Sunday, October 27. The Garden will close each day at 5 p.m. and reopen at 6 p.m. for ticket holders to this special event. Timed tickets can be purchased for entry between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Last entry is at 10 p.m., and the event ends at 10:30 p.m. 

Tickets are on sale now, and interested attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets early to secure their preferred time. Visit chicagobotanic.org/halloween for more information and to purchase tickets.  

An image gallery is available for media download here.