LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One of Kentucky’s most beloved Halloween attractions has reached its 10-year milestone. The long-beloved Jack O’Lantern Spectacular returns to Iroquois Park from Oct. 4-31.
What You Need To Know
- Louisville’s Jack O’Lantern Spectacular returns to Iroquois Park Oct. 4–31
- The spooky tradition has been going on for 10 years
- Local artists create hundreds of expertly carved jack-o'-lanterns for the occasion
- The event raises tens-of-thousands of dollars to improve other area parks
Every year around the beginning of autumn, Alene Day is basically buried in pumpkins. And the only way Day will survive is by carving her way out.
“I’m just going to pump up the contrast on his drums and his shirt. It’s just a wonderful medium. It’s just so special and unique,” Day said as she designed a jack-o’-lantern. “You carve the lightest around the darkest and that makes it really pop.”
But the carving doesn’t happen until her design is finished. Spectrum News 1 met Day just under two weeks before opening night while she was finishing artwork on a tribute to the late Taylor Hawkins, famed Foo Fighters drummer. It’s a band Day has a personal connection with.
“I worked with the Foo Fighters several times, so when that happened, it was really sad. I think people are really going to appreciate this one,” Day said.
For many years, Day worked in client relations for Louisville-based entertainment company Production Simple. The longtime seamstress is also the studio director for this annual gallery of gourds.
“We have a lot of illustrators here. We have a lot of tattoo artists that do pumpkins. We have muralists. We have quite a variety of mediums and talents,” Day said.
The Jack O’Lantern Spectacular at Iroquois Park features thousands of pumpkins and over 100 expertly designed, hand painted and carved pumpkins. Money raised by the month-long attraction is used to maintain and improve other Louisville parks.
“The Parks Alliance, which is the recipient of the proceeds from Jack O’Lantern Spectacular, supports the other 103 parks in Louisville, the vast majority of which are in underserved communities and really need our love.” Brooke Pardue explained. Pardue is the President and CEO of Parks Alliance of Louisville which operates the event.
Over 20 artists have their hands in this year’s festivities, marking the Spectacular’s tenth in Louisville.
Studio director Alene Day says pumpkins are replaced and redesigned each week during the run, so she recommends carving out time for multiple visits to Iroquois Park this October.
The Jack O’Lantern Spectacular is open daily from Oct. 4–31 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., and stays open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased at Iroquois Park or online in advance.