Rise Of The Jack O’Lanterns

Jack O’Lanterns aren’t just for the front porch anymore. If you’ve been looking for a family-friendly event in the city to close out your month, check out RISE of the Jack O’Lanterns, live from October 27th to October 30th at the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center. This popular fall art event has been making its rounds across the country, with sold-out shows in New York, Los Angeles, New Jersey, and now Boston for the first time.

Using a mix of real and artificial pumpkins, RISE artists have created an indoor Halloween wonderland of sorts, with more than 5,000 intricately carved pumpkins showcasing some of your favorite characters from television, film, and pop culture–and by some, that means many. Star Wars? Yup. Hocus Pocus? Uh-huh. Day of the Dead? You got it. Nightmare Before Christmas? Beetlejuice? Deadpool? Yes, yes, and oh yes. RISE artists have even rendered a few local Boston favorites, along with plenty of the characters from popular movies the kids will love–Frozen, Finding Nemo, and Monsters, Inc., to name a few.

Held in the Seaport’s lauded Commonwealth Hall, this scenic indoor pumpkin patch is unlike any you’ve ever seen. Walk by artistic recreations of fictional characters rendered on well-lit and incredibly carved pumpkins while listening to not-too-loud but perfectly-sets-the-scene mysterious Halloween music. The venue itself is darkened to accentuate the sculptors’ work–with each piece taking anywhere from one to several hours to complete. Some of the pumpkins are carved right here over the course of the weekend, while a few of the more elaborate, multi-pumpkin designs travel with the art show.

RISE is also doing its part to showcase some local talent, with artists from New England live-carving pumpkins just outside the gallery (no tickets required to see these guys). Kids can even take a whack at some hands-on pumpkin stenciling.

You can absolutely consider this a family-friendly event, since it’s not too spooky for the kids–but for those so inclined, it’s definitely adult friendly, too. 21+ visitors can walk around the exhibit with their favorite cocktail in hand. Plus, flash-free photography is also welcome–in fact, encouraged.

Safety first: all pumpkins are lit with flameless candles and LED lights. To aid with the flow of foot traffic, tickets are sold for 15-minute blocks throughout the day–helpful for the event-goer, since you’ll be able to meander through the gallery without having to elbow past any huge crowds.

RISE comes with plenty of nearby options for parking and public transportation. Plus, the event’s proximity to some favorite nearby restaurants makes it a great choice for a weekend date, too. Go ahead–make a day (or night) out of it!

Tickets are expected to sell out. From the vendors: select tickets will be sold at the event, but your best bet is to buy online ahead of time. To purchase yours, visit therise.org.