Pumpkin Nights 2019 Review    

Returning for it’s second Halloween season, Pumpkin Nights is a great family-friendly event that is suitable for all ages – a great place for those who want to celebrate Halloween without the jump-scares. In fact, the only real scare here is…well probably running out of time trying to complete the scavenger hunt!

The layout is cleverly thought out. You enter a giant Jack O’Lantern photo-op and then the food court. However, the food court isn’t just a food court; the tables and chairs actually double as a seating area for the “fire show.” During scheduled times, there are three shows per night with an impressive fire dancer who dazzles with never-before-seen moves. The choice to make is whether to catch this show first, then hit the trail, or vice-versa. We watched the first show before blazing the trail.

Pumpkin Nights 2019 Review: Pumpkin Trail

You enter through a long hallway with a multitude of carved pumpkins on the top and on the sides. Jack O’Lanterns along this trail and in the themed Pumpkin Lands are based on several pop culture icons: the Los Angeles Lakers, Calvin & Hobbes, and Hollywood. If this is just the entrance, how will the rest of the trail fare?

After this grand pumpkin archway and before the entrance to the trail, you can watch a Jack O’Lantern with a projection on it explain the mission at hand. The journey emulates a magical quest with a half-mile path where you discover seven fantastic Pumpkin Lands with over 3,000 hand-carved real and synthetic pumpkins. The lands featured are The Pirate’s Cove, The Forbidden City, The Great Pumpkin Hall, Enchanted Pumpkin Forest, Pumpkin Reef, Monster Mash, and Marvilla Lane.

If you are pro-active, then you may accept the “Hero’s Quest” and hunt for the specific carved pumpkin in each land. This interactive scavenger hunt really forces you to examine each pumpkin with a fine-toothed comb. Children can hunt for treasure in the sand at The Pirate’s Cove and make use of that prior to the exit. If you would prefer just enjoying the visuals, you can simply walk the path and take advantage of the photo-op inside of each of the seven Pumpkin Lands. The great thing about the photo-ops is that there’s an attendant present to take your photo, and the set is already well-lit. Near the top of the hill, you will find The Nightmare Before Christmas being played and two real-live pumpkin artists hand-carving giant pumpkins on site.

Of course, a visit to these Pumpkin Lands wouldn’t be complete without a pumpkin to take home, right? After exiting the trail and before going back to the food court area, you pass a makeshift pumpkin patch that features all types of pumpkins. We definitely saw pumpkins that we’ve never seen before, and as veterans of the Halloween and Haunt season, that’s kinda embarrassing. The event manager mentioned to us that they hunt for every type of pumpkin possible, and he definitely delivered on that promise.

Pumpkin Nights 2019 Review: Conclusion

Pumpkin Nights is a great event for all ages, with Jack O’Lantern art that spans different generations, plus an optional free interactive experience and photo-ops. Adults can enjoy an alcoholic beverage while the youngsters indulge in seasonal treats, available on the trail near the outdoor theatre area. Folks who don’t don’t want to make the drive deep into Calabasas for Nights of the Jack: A Halloween Jack O’Lantern Experience now have an option that’s available to the east of the metro L.A. area.

Pumpkin Nights 2019 Review: Photographs

Click on any image to open the gallery…