10 Jack-o’-Lantern Festivals You Have to See to Believe

Oct 03, 2014

As soon as Halloween season rolls around, everybody heads to one of two places — a haunted house or a pumpkin patch. We have to admit, we’re guilty of frequenting them both. But after so many spooky seasons, we’re starting to crave some variety. The good news is we found a hybrid of both — a jack-o’-lantern festival. Well, actually, we found ten of them. Head over to any one of these impressive events, and you’ll spot anywhere from 1,000 to 30,000 glowing jack-o’-lanterns. These glowing pumpkins paint an eerie picture, like something straight out of a horror movie, but we weirdly can’t stop wishing we were there.

1. The Great Jack o’ Lantern Blaze (Croton-on-Hudson, New York): Over 5,000 individually hand-carved, illuminated jack-o’-lanterns are spookily and artfully arranged around an 18th-century riverside historic site. The elaborate outdoor walk-through experience comes complete with atmospheric music, sound effects and professional lighting, and it runs October 2 to November 7. (via Hudson Valley)

2. The Jack o’ Lantern Spectacular (Providence, Rhode Island): Every Halloween season, the Roger Williams Park Zoo transforms its wetlands trail in a spooky display of 5,000 glowing pumpkins. Over 30 professional carvers (that’s a job?) spend six weeks creating the jack-o’-lanterns, which are each placed in grouped themes. This year’s theme is “Jack-O-Lanterns from A to Z.” Intricate pumpkin art will be organized in alphabetical order, with highlights from history and pop culture. Spot these pretty pumpkins between October 2 and November 2. (via Roger Williams Park Zoo, image via Beaumont Enterprise)

3. Pony Express Pumpkin Fest (St. Joseph, Missouri): This weekend-long festival takes place at a former stop along the Pony Express, which is now a museum. Head over early for a day of live entertainment, a children’s costume parade, festival rides, games, crafts and food. When the sun goes down, stick around for the headlining event — the lighting of Pumpkin Mountain. Nearly 1,000 hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns are stacked over 25 feet high and come to life with the click of a switch. This annual festival is set to take place October 10-12. (via Pony Express)

4. Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village (Dearborn, Michigan): For this eerie event, make way to the living history section of The Henry Ford entertainment center. Take a stroll down streets and alleys covered in over 1,000 carved jack-o’-lanterns. Actors in period clothing and costumes act out several vignettes throughout the trail, complete with a “headless” horseman riding a real horse. Head over for the mile-long walk on October 10-12, 17-19 or 24-26. (via The Henry Ford, image via Michigan)

5. Keene Pumpkin Festival (Keene, New Hampshire): A pumpkin festival to top all pumpkin festivals, this event has been an annual treat for over 20 years. The world record for the number of jack-o’-lanterns lit at one event has been broken here eight times. Last year they broke the record again, reaching 30,581 pumpkins. That’s a whole lot of gourds. See the sight for yourself on October 18th. (via Pumpkin Festival, image via Sentinel Source)

6. Highwood Pumpkin Fest (Highwood, Illnois): The city of Highwood also attempts to break world records at their annual festival for the most jack-o’-lanterns lit in one location. This year the festival has partnered with the Autism Society of Illinois. The hope is to carve and light 52,000 pumpkins this year to represent the number of individuals impacted by autism in Illinois. This festival will take place October 17-19. (via Highwood Pumpkin Fest, image via 3us)

7. Great Pumpkin Fest (Worcester, Massachusetts): Local youth groups carve about 1,500 pumpkins for the after-dark display held on the grounds of the EcoTarium, a popular children’s science and nature museum. This event, geared towards kids ten and under, comes complete with full admission to the museum, a pumpkin carving demo, a digital planetarium show and trick-or-treating. Head over on October 25 to take part in the festivities. (via EcoTarium, image via Woman’s Day)

8. Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival: (Weston, MA and Freeport, ME): This event is happening in two locations! The first is set to take place at Weston Town Green in Massachusetts on October 18, where there will be live music, a silent auction, tasty treats and kids’ games. The second will be at L.L. Bean’s flagship store in Maine, where guests can enjoy live tunes, tasty treats, games and a costume parade. This festival no longer holds the record for most lit jack-o’-lanterns in one place, but you’re still likely to find over 10,000, and that’s not too shabby. The event is ultimately a fundraiser for Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. (via Camp Sunshine, image via Woman’s Day)

9. Rise of the Jack o’ Lanterns (Los Angeles, CA and Long Island, NY): More than 5,000 hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns created by professional artists and sculptors are arranged in artful displays throughout a quarter-mile scenic trail. Throughout the multi-sensory walk, visitors will see a re-creation of the New York City skyline, favorite sports and TV stars, a giant graveyard made of jack-o’-lanterns and a prehistoric arrangement of life-sized dinosaurs. This event takes place in LA from October 3 to November 2 and in Long Island, NY from October 16 to November 2. (via The Rise, image via Flickr)

10. Glow Night (Bluemont, Virginia):During the day, Great Country Farms has got a whole bunch of pumpkin-themed festivities. At 7:30 pm, nearly 2,000 jack-o’-lanterns, created by local students, are lit up. There is a competition for “Best in Glow,” scariest and funniest. Afterwards, the orange fruits are used for Pumpkin Chunkin’ Week, when they’re dropped from a 40-foot lift in an upside down “fireworks display.” This festival is occurring from September 27 through October 31. (via Great Country Farms, image via Lessburg Today)

Do any of these festival interest you? If you’re headed to any, please send us some pics! We’d love to see.

24 Cozy 'Gilmore Girls' Gifts For Anyone Who'd Rather Be In Stars Hollow

If there's one thing about Gilmore Girls fans you can count on, it's their passion. They love the quirky one liners, memorable moments, and are usually either Team Jess or Team Logan (sorry Dean...). Give any Gilmore Girls lover in your life the chance to transport themselves to Stars Hollow this holiday season — without having to make the trek to Washington, Connecticut or the Warner Bros. stage in Hollywood. These Gilmore Girls gift ideas are fun, thoughtful, and very cozy, which are also three hallmarks of the series itself! From a coffee mug that Luke Danes would approve of to the perfect gifts for Taylor Swift fans, this Gilmore Girlsgift guide will make you say "Oy with the poodles already!"

Now that we're in knee-high boot season (which I FINALLY bought), I like to wear super fun, colorful, and chaotic socks. Grab a pack of Gilmore Girls socks to take some Stars Hollow magic with you no matter where you go.

Etsy

Gilmore Girls Themed Blind Date with a Book

For this bookish blind date, you'll receive a Rory-themed read, a tea bag, a bookmark, and stickers. You really can't go wrong.

Favorite Child

Stars Hollow Books Tote Bag

Carrying your favorite books in a tote bag with the Stars Hollow Books logo feels like it's meant to be.

Amazon

Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don't Want to Forget to Remember

Lauren Graham's collection of essays will give you a glimpse behind the curtain as she offers thoughtful stories about life, aging, and the industry.

Which gifts from this Gilmore Girls gift guide will you be buying for your friends (or yourself)? Let us know in the comments!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

Angelina Jolie Finally Opened Up About Her "Extremely Private" Kids & Motherhood

Angelina Jolie has always been mother — but she's also a literal mother to six kids whom she clearly cares about fiercely. Since she first adopted Zahara, Maddox, and Pax to giving birth to Vivienne and Knox, it's always been evident that her children are her entire world. While she rarely talks about her children (especially given her highly contested divorce at the moment), Angelina shared a little slice of her feelings on motherhood, insights on her children, and more with Good Morning America.

Here's what Angelina Jolie had to say about her kids — including which one of them is the most private!

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Angelina opened up about her feelings for her family while chatting about her new movie Maria with Good Morning Americaon November 21, 2024. Host Michael Strahan asked Angie about if there's anything she loves as much as her character loves singing, and she replied that it's her "motherhood."

"It’s my happiness. You can take everything else away from me," she said. "I could — nothing else matters."

When asked about her sons' involvement in Maria, Angelina explained that despite their involvement behind the scenes, they're very uninterested in a life in the spotlight. She said, "None of my children want to be in front of the camera. They're quite private."

Angelina elaborated, "Shiloh's extremely private. They weren't born with privacy, so I hope they can have that."

This interview comes after Angelina and Knox attended the Governor's Awards with her on November 18, 2024. His rare appearance shocked so many — including Brad. Daily Mail reported that Pitt found the timing "suspicious."

The source said, "'She is trying to get under his skin after his recent win and using Knox to do so is odd. Knox wants nothing to do with Hollywood and has no communication with Brad."

Despite the weirdness, the source also said, "He [Brad] believes that, in time, his children will come back into his life."

How many kids does Angelina Jolie have?

Angelina Jolie has six children. She adopted Zahara, Maddox, and Pax, and later gave birth to Vivienne and Shiloh. She shares her children with Brad Pitt, most of whom aren't on good terms with him at the moment.

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New Mom Shares Exactly How Much It Cost To Have A Baby In 2024 – Spoiler Alert, It’s A LOT

Just how expensive is it to have a baby in 2024? One woman sharing her experience on social media has sparked a much-needed conversation about financial transparency when it comes to starting (or growing) a family.

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A post shared by Josephine Anderson (@fosterthevalley)

Josephine Anderson, who posted a video on her Instagram @fosterthevalley, outlined the costs of her uncomplicated vaginal birth, and TBH, it was shocking.

The financial breakdown of her experience (with Cigna for insurance):

Routine office visits (including 2 ultrasounds): $1,266
Labs: $3,440.81
NIPT genetic testing: $15,319.36
Anatomy scan: $1,270
RhoGam: $360
Hospital for mom: $23,722.10
Hospital for baby: $7,402.80
OBGYN for delivery: $5,000
Epidural: $5,720
Breastfeeding support: $2,589.78
Pediatrician: $209

That all racks up to a whopping total of $66,299.85. After insurance was factored in (her deductible was $3,000 while her max out-of-pocket for in-network expenses was $11,000), the total cost for her uncomplicated vaginal birth was $4,788.98. Forbes Advisor reports the average cost of having a baby in 2024 is $2,854.

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Josephine’s video warranted thousands of comments, most of which were appalled by the costs of her experience:

“This needs to be shared in SexEd classes,” one commenter wrote.

“The US medical system is BROKEN,” another said.

“And people are still confused why more women are choosing to remain child free… we literally can’t afford it,” another user commented.

Mart Production / PEXELS

Brit + Co spoke with Wendy Colson RN, IBCLC and CEO/Founder of BOOBIE Superfoods to gauge if Josephine’s costs were typical for the care she received. Colson has significant insight into how insurance works not only from an employer’s perspective, but from personal experience as a patient with breast cancer.

“The $4,788.98 net amount she mentions is realistic given that her deductible was $3,000. If she had chosen a plan with a $1,000 deductible – which is a common ceiling for good coverage – the same scenario would have cost her around $2,789,” Colson said. “The video highlights the importance of understanding what you're getting with an insurance plan, especially when you anticipate major life events like childbirth.”

Sarah Chai / PEXELS

Colson primarily attributes unanticipated costs for medical care (like in Josephine’s case) to patients that choose their insurance plans with, well, no real plan.

“Many [people] opt for the [plan] with the lowest paycheck deductions without fully evaluating the benefits,” Colson said.

There’s often a tradeoff between paying less per paycheck and receiving your desired benefits: for example, if you elect to contribute less money towards your insurance per paycheck, you may end up paying more out of pocket for things like doctor’s office visits and prescriptions.

“Making an informed choice is key to saving money in the long run,” Colson continued. “In short, it's crucial to consider both the immediate costs (like paycheck deductions) and the potential future costs (like deductibles and copays) when choosing an insurance plan.”

Anna Shvets / PEXELS

Another major cost Josephine mentions in her video was 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, which cost her a total of $18,000 (in lost income).

Per the passing of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in 1993, moms have a legal right to up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. The U.S. Department of Labor notes that the act was designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities, accommodate the legitimate interests of employers, and promote equal employment opportunity for men and women.

Matilda Wormwood / PEXELS

It all sounds great until you realize the time off is indeed unpaid, which doesn't really aid in the amount of money parents end up owing after all is said and done in the pregnancy and childbirth processes.

Only 13 states plus the District of Columbia offer paid maternity leave. When you compare the United States’ laws to that of other industrialized nations, they don’t exactly measure up.

Colson says Sweden’s maternity leave policy is “one of the most generous,” offering 390 days of paid parental leave (shared between parents) and 80% of wages covered for a significant portion of the leave. In Germany, mothers are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave plus a tax-free, income-based allowance straight from their insurance provider.

Jonathan Borba / PEXELS

Though it’s likely that US laws will never be that generous in terms of paid maternity leave, there are a few things you can do to make the blow of medical costs hurt a little less, says Colson.

“My advice is to be your own advocate,” she says. “If you’re planning to have a baby, start by understanding what your state provides in terms of paid leave to avoid surprises after delivery.”

To keep the cost of having your baby (if you’re planning to have one) transparent and free of surprises, Colson recommends:

Asking your physician’s office for a detailed breakdown of insurance billing codes, including:
- Office visits
- Lab work
- Epidural (and the anesthesiologist’s separate fee)
- Hospital admissions
- Specialist consultations during admission
- Optional procedures like circumcision, if desired
Email the insurance billing codes to your insurance provider, who can help calculate your out-of-pocket costs and deductible

“Having a baby is priceless,” Colson says. “By planning ahead – understanding your insurance options, healthcare costs, and available benefits – you can ensure peace of mind and focus on what truly matters: your growing family.”

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