LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE, CA — Descanso Gardens announced Monday its annual "Carved" Halloween event will return Oct. 2 with hundreds of jack-o'- lanterns, oversized carved pumpkins and the U.S. debut of illuminated sculptures by Finnish artist Alexander Reichstein.
The event will run through Nov. 1 at the gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive in La Cañada Flintridge.
Reichstein, a Moscow-born artist who has been based in Helsinki since 1990, created a collection of life-sized wire figures that will be displayed in the garden's labyrinth, according to organizers. The sculptures are made from galvanized wire coated in UV-reactive paint and will glow after dark.
"We could not be more excited to welcome Alexander Reichstein to Descanso Gardens this year," Descanso Gardens CEO Juliann Rooke said. "His sculptures are extraordinarily intricate up close, built by hand from wire, one delicate line at a time. They're lovely to walk through in daylight, and after dark, when they're fully illuminated against the Garden, they're nothing short of spectacular."
Reichstein's work has previously been displayed in parks, gardens and museums in Finland, Germany, France and the Netherlands, among other countries. He has received the Finnish State Prize.
The annual "Carved" event will also feature illuminated jack-o'- lanterns, hand-carved pumpkins and art installations throughout the gardens.
The Pumpkin Forest and Harvest Acres will return with new elements, while the Descanso Railroad will receive seasonal lighting, organizers said. Log sculptures by Chainsaw Jenna will also return, and Bobolito's "Rhizome" installation will be displayed in the Oak Grove.
For the first time, the event will include trick-or-treating on Halloween, Oct. 31, as part of regular admission that evening.
Timed tickets range from $22 to $45 for adult members and $12 to $30 for member children. Tickets for non-members range from $29 to $52 for adults and $19 to $37 for children, depending on the date and time.
Anytime tickets, which allow visitors to select an evening later, are $65 for members and $85 for non-members. Children 2 and younger are admitted free but require a ticket.
Advance ticket purchases are required at descansogardens.org.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
La Cañada Flintridge Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.