Gourd-geous: Glass Pumpkin Patch returns to The Morton Arboretum
A unique and colorful pumpkin patch has sprouted at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. And you won’t want to compost the gourd-geous pieces you bring home.
The Arboretum’s 16th annual Glass Pumpkin Patch returns Friday, with more than 9,000 one-of-a-kind glass pumpkins and other handcrafted fall pieces from 18 local and national artists. The event runs through the weekend.
Event coordinator Jacque Fucilla has helped organize the patch from the beginning and said this year will be the “biggest, best and sunniest year ever.”
“These artists are so talented, and it's exciting to see what they're going to bring every year,” Fucilla said. “They’re always surprising us with new things, which is great.”
The shimmering, colorful display, with creations ranging from under an inch high to over a foot in diameter, will be near the visitor center. Prices range from about $40 to more than $350 for pieces that vary from pumpkins, acorns and flowers to Halloween-themed ghosts and Día de los Muertos items.
“We try to make sure there’s something for everybody,” Fucilla said.
The 2026 Signature Series, Harvest Confetti, was designed by local artist Aaron Baigelman and features vibrant orange, gold and bronze pumpkins topped with a curled champagne-colored stem.
Glassblowing demonstrations, where visitors can watch artists transform molten glass into works of art, will take place every 30 minutes Friday through Sunday.
Saturday and Sunday will also feature flameworking demonstrations, during which artists heat and shape glass rods into fall-themed miniatures, marbles and beads.
Dan Sviland of Waukegan has been part of the show from the beginning, the first year as a volunteer and since then as an exhibiting artist. He’ll have more than 700 pieces displayed this year.
He said he’s been blowing glass for over 20 years, starting as a hobby while working in restaurant management.
“This is how I decompressed from managing people, because when you're glass blowing, you can't think of anything but the glass,” Sviland said. “Otherwise, it's on the ground.”
He now operates Hot Shop Glass Studio & Gallery in Racine, Wisconsin.
Sviland said the most common question he gets about his intricate glass pumpkins is how long it takes to make a piece.
“My common answer is 10 years and 20 minutes,” he said. “It’s all about building the skills and doing it from there.”
Fucilla said she’s tried her hand at glassblowing at Sviland’s shop.
“It was really, really fun, but really intimidating and not as easy as it looks,” she said. “That's the thing; they make it look so easy when they're up there at the furnace.”
The Glass Pumpkin Patch is part of the Arboretum’s Fall Color Festival lineup, which includes the new Autumn Reserve Wine Experience on Oct. 15, Fall Color 5K Run and Walk on Oct. 24, and the new Howl-o-Ween dog costume contest and parade on Oct. 31.
A visit to the patch is included with general admission to the Arboretum, which is at 4100 Route 53 in Lisle. There will be a presale viewing period from 10 to 11 a.m. on Friday, then you can shop the pumpkin patch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
rwest@dailyherald.com