Professional pumpkin carver headlining Lombard's Spooktacular

Steve Dahlke can carve the average Halloween pumpkin in 12 minutes or less.

But give him a monster, 1,000-pounder and the professional pumpkin carver from Rosemont is still not intimidated. He just needs more time. Four hours, to be exact.

“They're a little bit different,” Dahlke said about humongous pumpkins. “I use chisels. I don't draw on the pumpkins; I do it freehand.”

Dahlke will be carving ghoulish designs from all sizes of pumpkins at about 22 festivals this fall, with many in the Chicago area and some as far away as New York state.

And on Saturday, he'll make a stop in downtown Lombard for the Spooktacular Fall Festival hosted by Lombard Town Centre, a community organization dedicated to improving the village's commercial center.

Dahlke will answer questions and carve pumpkins beginning at 5 p.m. at the intersection of St. Charles Road and Park Avenue, which will be closed between noon and 7 p.m. Saturday for the festival.

“People always wonder why we don't take the top off,” Dahlke said.

The reason: removing the bottom instead makes it easier to throw out any pumpkin pieces that fall while carving and the pumpkin remains more stable.

Dahlke brings pumpkins he buys from three Wisconsin farms to each event he attends. He said he usually works on a large pumpkin or an entire pumpkin display.

He said he once carved a 1,000-pound pumpkin with a snake coiling around its face, crossed eyes and an angry expression. He then carved 15 normal-sized pumpkins with different expressions ranging from horror to delight all looking at the central pumpkin. But he doesn't have any specific plans for what he'll create in Lombard.

Aside from Dahlke's pumpkin carving expertise, Spooktacular will give kids and families time to go trick-or-treating at downtown businesses including Sweet Street Candies and Goodies and Brix Woodfired Pizza.

Businesses also will have displays set up outside, including a table for nail painting, hair wraps and temporary tattoos outside Night and Day Salon at 141 W. St. Charles Road, said owner Amy Madsen.

This is the seventh year Lombard Town Centre has hosted Spooktacular, but the first time it's closing the downtown intersection, said Colleen Whittington, the group's publicity chair.

And while some may see Dahlke's pumpkin carving demonstration as the peak of the event, its purpose is to highlight Lombard businesses.

“It also helps out with showcasing what businesses we do have downtown,” Dahlke said. “There's been a lot more businesses that have seen the value of it.”

If you go

<p>What: Spooktacular Fall Festival</p>

<p>Where: Downtown Lombard at St. Charles Road and Park Avenue</p>

<p>When: Noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23</p>

<p>Details: Trick-or-treat at downtown businesses from noon to 3 p.m.; professional pumpkin carving demonstration at 5 p.m.; climbing wall, petting zoo, bands, dance shows and vendor displays</p>

<p>Info: (630) 620-8063; lombardtowncentre.org</p>