While Calgarians are in the swing of year-end events full of craft markets and colourful street lighting, an organization is trying to remind us that Christmas is not the only holiday worth building traditions around. Pumpkins After Dark recently ended another successful year of celebrating Halloween with a large display of hand-carved pumpkins and spectacular artwork.
The event, which is held annually, is never the same experience. With new art on display every year, organizers hope to make the festivity an annual tradition in Calgary.
From Sept. 20 to Oct. 31, Calgarians were invited to explore the outdoor Halloween function featuring more than 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins.
Founded by James Fraser, the celebration first started in Milton, Ont., in 2019. The event expanded to other provinces in Canada, and shows are now enjoyed by people in Calgary, Edmonton, Milton, Burnaby, Ottawa, Saskatoon and Montreal. Houston, Texas is the first show outside the country.
Calgarian Kevin Blackburn is the chief executive officer of Pumpkins After Dark. He focused on producing the experience in Calgary this year.
“Obviously pumpkin pathway trails are a new and upcoming style of event. But it’s unique. It’s something people have not seen for many years,” said Blackburn.
Travel Addicted Unicorn, or ‘VKay,’ is an online blogging influencer who did a collaboration with Pumpkins After Dark after seeing an ad for their Milton display online.
“I really liked these singing pumpkins, they were so cute. But overall the whole event was so well done with music, sounds, lights and a few characters walking around,” said Vkay. “The skill level of the artists who carved all the pumpkins is outstanding.”
The event is perfect for people who like fall and spooky Halloween themes, but it is also for anyone who appreciates art and carving skills.
Artists from Calgary and Toronto made all the decor for this year’s Calgary show. It takes artists a full year to build the new shows for different provinces, and set-up takes about 10 days.
The art is assembled every year in different provinces, then it is preserved and shipped to be in a show in another location. This year’s display in Calgary, for example, was assembled in Vancouver last year and then transferred over to Alberta.
By using the themes of art produced in different provinces and rotating the shows city to city, the artwork is kept fresh. People are given something new to come and look at every year, as opposed to the same displays from previous annual shows.
Pumpkins After Dark collaborates with artists wherever their shows are located. Blackburn said artists pitch themes and ideas that they discuss with staff in creative meetings and then the organization decides what new art should be added to the show and what ideas need approval.
By adding something new every year while maintaining the feeling of nostalgia, Pumpkins After Dark keeps public interest alive.
“It’s just a really unique event that we are trying to build and create into a legacy event that people go to as a tradition every year,” said Blackburn. “Kind of like the Calgary Zoo lights, if you will – that’s our goal.”