LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Jack O’Lantern-Spectacular has become one of the must-see events very October. Since 2012, thousands have strolled through Louisville’s Iroquois Park to look at the orange orbs of art.

What You Need To Know

  • The 12th annual Jack O'Lantern Spectacular runs from Oct. 1 to Nov. 2

  • Tickets go on sale Sept. 1

  • There will be a special opening night event. Tickets for the Pre-Lit Bash are $75

  • Runners will also get the chance to run through the trail in the Norton 4-Miler

Every year more than 5,000 artistic pumpkins line the paths of the park and every year there is a theme. This year it’s “Trivia Night: Pumpkin Edition.” The Spectacular runs from Oct. 1 through Nov. 2. The trail hours are Monday through Thursday 6:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 6:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. Tickets for this year’s Spectacular go on sale Sept. 1 and can be bought online.

For 2024, the park is hosting what it is calling the “Pre-Lit Bash” It’s an exclusive opening night event that will have fans treated like VIPs. Tickets for the PLB are $75 and include:

  • Early access
  • Food and beverages
  • Live music
  • Professional pumpkin carving

Tickets for this event also go on sale Sept. 1 and according to organizers, there will be a limited amount of these tickets sold.

Another exciting opportunity to enjoy the trail is specifically for runners. In partnership with the Louisville Sports Commission, the Parks Alliance of Louisville is hosting the Norton Sports Health 4-Miler Spooktacular. On Sept. 30, runners will run through the Jack O’Lantern Spectacular trail.

There is a special code participants can use to get 10% off registration fees.

It takes more than pumpkins to keep this event running and the Jack O’Lantern Spectacular is hiring. They are hiring for parking, plaza and box office staff. Anyone interested is encouraged to visit Human Resources at 2209 Health Lane in Louisville. If you are applying for a job, you need to have a driver’s license and social security card. If you have questions, you can call at 502-485-1000.

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