Pumpkinferno

Pumpkinferno is an annual celebration of carved pumpkins held at Upper Canada Village.

Like Alight at Night the entirety of Upper Canada Village is transformed around Halloween and adorned with thousands of carved pumpkins.

There are displays of traditional carved pumpkins along the path and adorning the fence and the areas throughout the transformed village, along with more elaborate displays as you make your way through.

The carved pumpkins are all artificial, they are however made from the molds of real pumpkins. When you consider how many there are, you quickly realize that logistically it would be nearly impossible to carve, let alone maintain real pumpkins for the event. The fact they are artificial doesn't really detract from the experience, and the flexibility afforded by the pumpkins being artificial provides some unique opportunities.

The pumpkins are arranged in numerous themed displays as you walk through the village. Some are meant to be more "spooky" but others are more creative such as art pieces, dinosaurs, a forest or a hockey game.

Some displays are reused from year to year, presumably because they are popular. The majority do seem to get replaced each year, meaning that even if you attended the year before, there should be plenty of new pumpkins to see.

Near the end of the walk there is a centralized area setup that contains a few activities for kids such as simple games or cut-outs where you stand behind and put your face in a hole for a unique for funny picture. Amongst those activities are also a number of genuine carved and painted pumpkins, sourced from school children in the surrounding area, which is a nice touch.

The village's dining facilities are open, so you can arrive early and get a meal at one of the restaurants, or pick up a snack or drink while you're walking through at the village store cafe.

The walk through takes about an hour to complete, and for those with mobility issues, there is an accessibility night where you can ride through in the comfort of your own vehicle.

Admission is in line with what regular admission to Upper Canada Village costs, although slightly reduced. A family of four will cost approximately $50, and children 4 and under are free. Because of the huge numbers of people that attend, tickets are for a specific date to ensure the village is not over capacity. For more information about the event, or to get tickets, visit the website.