Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular Back For 2021 Halloween Season

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is back. From now through Halloween, the Roger Williams Park Zoo will light up the night with thousands of glowing pumpkins.

Thursday marked the event's opening night, and the air seemed to crackle with anticipation as dusk fell and crowds gathered for a first glimpse at this year's display.

"People are really excited," said Ron Patalano, the zoo's deputy director.

Last year, the coronavirus pandemic left organizers scrambling to find a way to keep the lights glowing while following safety precautions. Rather than setting up along the wetlands trail, the display was shifted to a drive-through format, allowing families to enjoy the event while remaining socially distant.

This year, the Spectacular is back in all its glory, with guests again able to take their time to stroll through the trail and admire the intricately carved pumpkins up close. About 6,000 jack o' lanterns line the trail, celebrating this year's theme: "150 Years of Music."

Ernie D'elia has worked as a pumpkin carver for more than a decade.

"That's pretty much my life," he said, laughing, of the past six weeks.

While the display is open, D'elia and the small army of carver's work is far from done. From now until the exhibit closes, they will be hard at work, making sure the pumpkins look their best every night. Because their art medium is biodegradable, the pumpkins won't last for the whole season, and could be replaced with freshly carved versions up to three times before the final night.

"This is just the beginning," D'elia said.

Pumpkin carving times vary, with some of the intricate designs on larger gourds taking up to six hours. One complete, the pumpkins are placed before a fan to dry — this helps slow the rotting process — before they are trucked from the studio in Oxford, Massachusetts to the zoo.

Tickets and schedule

The display will be open nightly through Oct. 31, rain or shine, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The last admission will be at 10 p.m. Because of pandemic-related capacity restrictions, all tickets must be purchased in advance, online.

A special sensory-friendly experience will be available each night before the trail opens to the public, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. While the over 5,000 pumpkins will be illuminated, all music and special effects will be turned off to benefit guests with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and sensory processing differences and their families.

Ticket costs vary by night, with discounts offered for current zoo members.

• Value nights (Monday-Thursday): $17 per adult, $14 per child
• Prime nights (Friday-Sunday): $21 per adult, $18 per child
• Sensory-friendly: $16 per adult, $13 per child

Children's tickets apply to ages 2 through 12; 1 and younger are free. Current zoo members save $2 per adult ticket and $1 per child ticket.