Never go full Jack-o-lantern in Hollowland

What's up Peeps!

Well the title is a lie, do go full Jack-o lantern, I take it back! Come with me? But enter at your own risk, only if you think you can handle my pumpkin demons of horrors. I hate pumpkin spice everything including the smell and don't celebrate Halloween, at least not since I have outgrown the type of cuteness needed to knock on random doors looking for free candy and actually get some. This time of year doesn't particular have much of anything exciting revolving around the two intertwined fall favorites, I mostly ignore all the hype. Don't worry I'm not a jerk, I still hand out candy!

Most in the Western world probably knows what Halloween is but I realize we all celebrate our own traditions across Hive so just in case... It's our version of the day of the dead and spooky things. It was anciently believed by Celtic traditions that the veil between the living and the dead was thin and spooky creatures could come thru but can be appeased with an offering. So now we enjoy the commercialized version of dressing up in creepy costumes and collecting mini candy door to door (kids obviously). Adults just go to the bar in the same creepy costumes, get drunk and come home and eat all the kids candies and blame it on the spirits.

A day ago, if you asked me what to expect a Jack-o lantern to look like, I probably would have said the basic triangle eyed weird teeth and missing pieces because they fell off during a carving accident pumpkin with a candle inside rotting on the doorstep way passed Halloween scene I grew up with. I guess the holiday has evolved since the 90's. I was browsing on FB one day and came about this strange concept of Jack-o lantern on steroids. Entire themed displays and carvings that stand up to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide, despite my hatred for pumpkin anything and that dumb holiday where my house tends gets egged , I had to check this out, it looked tolerable.

I promise you, all the photos in here except for the one directly above are not graphics or edits besides a crop or to double the upright pictures to save on room and that's all. The exhibit was just that trippy and well made. Everyone one of them looking like tall sculptures of fire intensified by the camera as it darkens the rest of the surrounding environment.

I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest, once I got there, it was like all the characters inside my head jump out and went on to raid multiple pumpkin farms and put all their spoils together and formed a unified tribe of fictional characters and rock stars and they were all made of fire. Naturally, it would be a daunting task to keep candles lit in all of this so it's Christmas lights or something of the sort that lights them up. Similar concept to the big ice carvings with multiple blocks assembled in a desired shape to carve but in pumpkin form.

These masterpieces are part of one of Edmonton's numerous pop-up seasonal art installations. If they do well they tend to come back and become a trend, sometimes it's just once, there is no shortage or fresh ideas when it comes to urban art and entertainment. Although this one wont stay fresh for much longer with Halloween just around the corner being the last night of the exhibit. After that, the snow should move in and it will mostly be hosting various winter festivals and events.

The exhibit is held outdoors at one of our city parks, Borden Park (near K-days land and agricom building), it's typical to have a host of festivals in the area. It was formerly known for the home of the Oilers (pro hockey team) along with big name concerts, Northlands horse racing and the arena but that's closed now with the new arena so the area is a little quieter the last few years. The exhibit is called Pumpkins after dark, as the name suggests, only open while lights out for maximum spook. They are not open during the week, only on the week-end and crowds are unavoidable.

As far as location and accessibility, it was a great location to host the outdoor event with ample parking but to save the walk and use one of the lots came at a price tags as most of these events do. Parking was $15 CAD and entry into the event was around $21 CAD each adult. Seems comparable to any other popular events in the area. There is a sidewalk for the loop so no special maneuvering required. Carts, wheelchair and baby carriage friendly. Advanced online purchase of tickets required for start times but you can spend unlimited time until closing once there. The line up seem a little long but it was organized enough to move fast.

We didn't want to go Halloween week-end, probably being their busiest and had my boxing event & photography to tend to Saturday night, we booked it for Sunday night. Turns out the whether got cold and it was a mix a snow and rain. Made things a little uncomfortable to operate a camera with oven mitts but I knew I would have to be outside for at least an hour so I officially took out my winter gear. It wasn't too bad, I made it out until the last quarter before it started to irritate me.

When we first entered the fenced ground, we found ourselves in a row of food trucks and flashing trinkets for sale similar to a mini carnival without the rides, of course hot chocolate and pumpkin spice drinks were available before entering the official exhibit ground. The exhibit was located on a looped trail and the carvings were displayed in multiple themed areas. The themes were from fairy tales, rock stars, mythology, vido games and other pop culture icons, anything you can think of might go on a pumpkin. Even if it doesn't, leave it to these talented artists to find a way to make it work.

The first exhibit was a live carving station with works in progress being made in front of our eyes along with a display of multiple intricate single pumpkin designs. Each was as well crafted as the next, some carved, some painted with many having a mix of both. Some had simpler pictures while others had a complete landscape carved on the vegetable. I was already blown away with the one exhibit and I hadn't seen anything yet.

After we left the carving area, we continued on the creepy dark pumpkin trail, we stopped to a few displays, I wont post them in order and there is too many to post anyway after ending up with over 100 photos I wanted to share, I may have to slim that down a little. After a few displays, we got to one of the significant features in the advertising. This was an archway tunnel made up of lit up pumpkins on the sides and roof. This was unique indeed. Reminded me of the Christmas light tunnels. I'm not sure if they are all real pumpkins, probably a casted light display or it would be a weird fall hazard.

The hall of pumpkins tends to bottleneck easy as everyone slows down to admire the set up or take selfies, I mean who can resist! I did the same, maybe not selfies but I spent a considerable amount of time trying to catch several details. I had my 70-300mm lens on because most of the displays are roped off at a bit of a distance to avoid touching but it made it difficult inside the tunnel because everything was too close for that lens. I was too cold to switch it, I had to wait until I was passed it and take photos from the outside.

I'm not sure how long the exhibit has been in Canada but I have noticed a few other locations across in other major cities along with pictures from other exhibits in the past, I'm assuming it's not their first Edmonton show, if you miss it this year but have the chance to go next year for a new exhibit. After reading on some of their techniques, some pumpkins are real while others are made of a synthetic foam that replicate the same texture as a live one with less weight. Easier to stack and reusable allowing them more intricate displays. The exhibit contains over 10 000 pumpkins (real or synthetic combined).

I'm a little relieved to know it's not just one big food waste event with the synthetic pumpkins. Despite being synthetic, it's their own blend, molding and production along with their own carving work. An exhibit of this magnitude takes about 11 months to completely build from the ground up starting at making the pumpkins as they seem to change the exhibit from year to year.

The monster loop went for about a 20 minute walk with the sidewalk lined with pumpkins and white lights. Each themed display had it's own creepy monster sounds along with fog machines on some but not all. I say 20 minutes but that's for the normal person that doesn't take pictures of everything. I took me about an hour, I prefer taking my time and wait for crowds to clear for pictures. Just in time for me to not be able to feel my fingers and toes from the cold, I was ready to go anyway.

The aquatic display was an arrangement of larger carvings surrounded by lit up pumpkin jellyfish of all colors recreating a seascape.

The ghost display was pretty cool, with the lit up skeleton ghosts graveyard with a bit of a pumpkin display and of course one of the areas with a fog machine to enhance the spook factor. Some of the ghosts could change color from blue to green. The skeleton area made for cool shots too, their lights pulsed with their spooky sounds giving the appearance of dancing in the night. Not your typical haunted fun house and I actually enjoyed this exhibit and the artwork and diversity of the themes that went into this. The sounds weren't loud or startling so perfect for smaller children too.

I know Edmonton is great at putting up pop-up installations and amazing festivals but this exceeded my expectations, I didn't think I would enjoy it this much or get the type of photos I was able to get. even tho it was busy, it was pretty manageable to get around except for the pumpkin tunnel. It reminded me of the Glow Christmas light exhibition I went to a few years back but Halloween outdoor edition instead. I would certainly come back next year for their new exhibition if I can, I would say it was worth the $20 entry fee, maybe next year I'll try to come earlier in the season when it's still warm, it was 20 degrees just a few days ago now it's just below the freezing mark.

OH NO! Humpty-Dumpty fell off he wall again!

Speaking of Glow, it is held near-by one the same grounds but indoor in the Agricom building or whatever they call it these days and they are coming back with a new light display for the holiday season. This place is selfie central and I plan on bringing that exhibit to the blockchain as well, like I mentioned above, there is always some festival or display happening around these lands even if the main traffic is gone it's still alive and well. The Agricom is like a showroom/exhibition complex that host a series of events of all kind from farming to entertainment and everything in between (I remember holding a domesticated/rescue owl in there for some reason). I can't help but love my strange city and it's hidden temporary treasures, we blend well together.

Part of the vintage game exhibit with a recreation of iconic in game pieces we grew up with in the 90's, well probably all of us for ages, these are the classics.

We all know the all time favorite, Monopoly, these were pretty large representations of the tiny tokens.

Hey gold silver stacker community, where is that pirate chest at, these guys don't look like their messing around.

Maybe the pirates can take a couple of ghost hot rods instead and roll outta here, they are creeping me out.

Greek Mythology

I hope you enjoyed your walk thru my monsters and demons and you're not too traumatized! Now that we went full Jack-o-lantern you can't go back. Party responsibly, Happy Halloween and don't eat to many candies before bed, don't wanna dream about one of them things! Thanks for all of your support! Peace out xox