A tunnel lit up by thousands of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin sculptures and live carving demonstrations: Pumpkins After Dark has become a totally spectacular annual Halloween tradition in Ontario. And this year, it’s coming even closer to the city.
Beginning Oct. 2, Markham will be home to a brand new Pumpkin After Dark experience. Featuring more than 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins, this walk-through experience will take you through a magical pathway of lit pumpkin sculptures, all set to music and special effects. A creative team of Canadian artists spends a full 11 months creating each show!
If you’ve gone to Pumpkin After Dark before, don’t worry — each year, new installations and experiences are added to the event. And the Markham show is promising some totally new fun.
There will be a new all-ages Bee Hive Maze, where visitors can step inside a giant beehive and navigate through interconnected hexagonal tunnels. And if you get lost, you may find a friendly character within the maze to guide you!
There will also be a Pumpkinhead Ed scavenger hunt, and if you’re curious about some of the themed designs along the path, we hear there might be a 16-foot dinosaur, enchanted fairies, a ghoul trail and more.
There will, of course, still be live carving demonstrations from local artists, as well as theme nights. Past years have offered Adult Nights for a slightly more frightful experience, and Markham’s will run on October. 15 this year. There will also be returning Pet Nights this year so that you can dress up your dog and get a totally seasonal photo op — those will run Oct. 14, 21 and 28.
But a couple new themed nights will also be joining the list, including Once Upon a Time, where enchanted characters from your favourite fairytales will roam (happening Oct. 11). There’s also Villains After Dark on Oct. 18, perfect for the person whose favourite character in Disney stories was always the villain! And a Halloween Movies night will take place on Oct. 25, featuring costumed characters from classic films and themed light displays.
And once you’ve had your fill of pumpkin sculptures, visit the Trick or Treat Area for — you guessed it — some treats.
Pumpkins After Dark Markham runs until Oct. 31, and it’s located at Markham Museum — just an hour’s drive away or a direct Go Train from Kennedy Station (the Mt. Joy Go stop is just a 10-minute walk from the destination). Tickets are $26.95 for general admission for adults and $23.95 for kids, $30.95 for kids and $33.95 for adults for admission plus the maze and $38.95 or $41.95 for a VIP pass (which includes maze access and come anytime).