After a four-year hiatus the Jack O’Lantern Spectacular returns to Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence from October 8^th through November 1^st, 2009.

Many people were sorry to see this event leave the zoo’s calendar in the first place and travel first to McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket and then a one-year stint out in Connecticut at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk.

But now Jack is Back at Roger Williams!

The zoo is aiming for this latest presentation of the event to be even more “spectacular,” with double the amount of pumpkins – 10,000 in all.  The result promises to be a truly breathtaking sight, featuring thousands of traditional jack-o-lanterns, and hundreds of others intricately carved into works of art.

A team of over 30 professional pumpkin carvers will spend six weeks creating the magical display, which will be set on the Zoo’s wetlands trail amidst special lighting and musical themes.  Visitors will feast their eyes on a dazzling array of pumpkin “scenes” depicting everything from wildlife themes to icons of popular culture, all carved with painstaking detail and amazing artistry.

During its previous run at the Zoo from 2000 to 2004, the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular drew over 80,000 visitors annually, from all over New England and beyond. “Providence is a fantastic fall destination for families and the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is certainly a highlight of the season,” said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau.  “We will be encouraging visitors to make sure that the event is part of their fall travel plans.”

The Spectacular has also received rave reviews and national media attention for the one-of-a-kind, family friendly seasonal fun it offers.

Selected by the U.S. Library of Congress as a national “local legacy” and named a “top 100 event” by the American Bus Association, the Spectacular was also featured by The Early Show, USA Today and CNN, and hailed by the Associated Press as “extraordinary.”

The Spectacular was founded by John Reckner, an Oxford, Massachusetts postal carrier.  Inspired by a Vermont farm he had seen lined with glowing jack o’ lanterns, Reckner organized the first Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular in Oxford in 1988.  The 185 jack o’ lanterns featured in this first Spectacular were carved by local residents and displayed for only one evening on a hillside behind a local school.  About 300 spectators attended.  Today, Mr. Reckner, his family, and their crew of jack o’ lantern artists continue to bring the Spectacular to life.

The 2009 Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular runs Thursday, October 8 through Sunday, November 1, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. (last entry at 10 p.m.) rain or shine. The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is supported in part by the Providence Tourism Council, Washington Trust Company, Cox Communications and WJAR/NBC-10.  The Spectacular is an important fundraiser for Roger Williams Park Zoo.  Proceeds from the event will support the Zoo’s environmental education and conservation efforts both locally and around the globe.

General admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $9 for children ages 3 to 12.  Children under three are free.  Zoo members receive a discounted rate on Monday through Thursday nights only, when they present their Zoo membership card and another form of ID (reciprocal Zoo agreements do not apply to the Spectacular).  No other special offers or discounts will apply for Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular admission.  Groups of 25 or more may call (401) 467-0150 for advance reservations and group rates. No individual advance tickets will be sold.

Roger Williams Park Zoo is conveniently located in Providence, RI exit 16 off Interstate I-95 north, exit 17 off I-95 south, about 1 hour from Boston and 90 minutes from Hartford.  For more information, visit www.rwpzoo.org or call (401) 785-3510.

More details on attractions in the region can be found at the special Rhode Island vacations section at our web site.

Another New England post by one of our writers is being prepared right now so be sure to visit again or just subscribe to our RSS Feed here and get notified automatically of events and news.

Joan Daniels
Staff Writer
New England Online Magazine

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