Jack's Pumpkin Glow lights up October nights in Lisle
Pumpkins don't always necessarily look like the kind of thing you'd bake into a pie.
Sometimes, the ribbed squash look like silly, grinning faces, otherwise known as jack-o'-lanterns. And sometimes a bunch of pumpkins artfully carved and arranged can look more like a 15-foot-tall dinosaur.
A pumpkin-inspired prehistoric reptile is just one of the creative autumn attractions visitors will see at Jack's Pumpkin Glow, a display open on a string of October nights in the Sensory Garden Playground at 2751 Navistar Drive in Lisle.
Produced by the Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, the show is making its Chicago-area debut this year.
Shannon Donnelly, event vice president, said similar shows will be going on simultaneously in Nashville, Philadelphia and Reston, Virginia.
"We are an outdoor walking trail with over 5,000 hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns," Donnelly said. "We are not scary. We are a family-friendly event. There's no scary people jumping out at you."
Among the carved pumpkin artworks will be faces of celebrities such as Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.
Lighting that relies heavily on what Donnelly described as old-fashioned Christmas lights achieves special visual effects.
Visitors will get a chance to see an expertly crafted jack-o'-lantern in the making.
"Our head artist, Will Teran, will demonstrate carving," Donnelly said. "He is our head designer. He'll carve really intricate faces into a pumpkin."
If watching a professional do it ignites a creative flicker in onlookers, there will be a chance to try making a unique pumpkin visage.
"You can also paint a pumpkin there. We have these really cool crayons that look like paint. They're mess-free," Donnelly said.
Tickets are sold in advance, she said.
"We sell our tickets in half-hour increments. A lot of our time slots sell out," she said.
A special night designed for children with autism has been reserved for 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6. Donnelly said the crowds will be smaller, a feature achieved through limited ticketing, more subtle music will play and brighter lighting will keep the mood light at this show, dubbed Autism Glows.
Donnelly said a portion of the proceeds from Jack's Pumpkin Glow will be donated to an anti-bullying program called Don't Be A Monster that is presented by Imagine Better, Inc., a nonprofit organization founded by haunted house business owners.
Donnelly said food and beverages, including wine, beer and apple cider, will be available for purchase at all shows.
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Jack's Pumpkin Glow
Where: Sensory Garden Playground, 2751 Navistar Drive, Lisle
When: Dusk Thursdays through Sundays, Oct. 4-6, 10-13, 17-20, 24-27
Tickets: $22.99 to $28.99 for adults, $16.99 to $22.99 for children for regular shows; $14.99 for adults, $10.99 for kids ages 3-12 for Autism Glows night; free for children ages 2 and younger
Info: glowpumpkin.com/chicago/