This year, Upper Canada Village hosted its 11th annual Pumpkinferno, an outdoor art exhibit displaying more than 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins. The event was open from Sept. 30 to Oct. 30.
Creating Pumpkinferno is a lengthy process. Each year starts with conceptualizing theme ideas in January, St. Lawrence Parks special events officer Carli Smelko said.
“I have some [themes] tailored to children … some that adults would appreciate,” she said. “For instance, Lover’s Lane is more tailored to an adult audience where they’ll recognize famous or historic couples. For children I have an alien theme.”
After brainstorming this year, Smelko brought graphic designer Emily Keller on board in April to create the templates for the designs. By late spring, students were hired as part of the pumpkin carving team, and they started to bring the designs to life.
Bronwyn Fowler, a Carleton University graduate, and Tia Lee, a second-year neuroscience student at Carleton, were both part of this year’s student carving team.
Fowler, who was a historical interpreter at Upper Canada Village, transferred to the carving team in 2021 and returned to the Pumpkinferno team this year as a student carver. Lee said she applied to the carving team after her sister suggested it.
Lee and Fowler said they spent their summer carving pumpkins, repairing old inventory, testing lighting and mounting pumpkins on wooden boards alongside seven other colleagues.
From May to September, the carving team worked on 7,000 pumpkins to create themed displays that ranged from 300 to 400 pounds in weight. All pumpkins used to create the Pumpkinferno displays are made out of Styrofoam.
“I remember a time thinking [Pumpkinferno] was made of real pumpkins,” Fowler said.
Members of the carving team had to wear protective suits, masks, eyewear and earmuffs to safeguard them from the Styrofoam particles swirling around the air during carving. Fowler said the team had to find creative ways to communicate with each other underneath the protective gear.
“We’re wearing ear protection [and] we can’t talk so we’d have to leave notes or dance like bumble bees to let the hive know what’s going on,” Fowler said.
Fowler and Lee said they also had the opportunity to attend Pumpkinferno to see their hard work lit up at night surrounded by the historical charm of Upper Canada Village.
“When you are working on the individual [pumpkins] you don’t know what you’re making. When you see them lit up together it really is spectacular,” Fowler said.
This year, Pumpkinferno revived some of its most popular themes and added seven new themes: Lover’s Lane, Legendary Lore, The Great Outdoors, The Child Within Us, Flamingo Fiesta, Mega Munchies and Pumpkinferno Mad Lab.
Guests were also able to rock out with Freddie Mercury at the returning Mercury in Retrograde theme, which featured flashing lights timed to a soundtrack of the band’s music.
Each year, Smelko said she enjoys taking the time to walk through the village and listen to guests’ comments and conversations as they explore the exhibit.
“It’s always a very rewarding and magical feeling,” Smelko said. “I love going to the event … [overhearing] the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs.’”
Smelko said she is proud of the carving team and the designs they brought to life this year. She said the guests’ reactions to the exhibit made their hard work pay off.
“[Seeing] people just so fascinated … in disbelief that people can carve such intricate displays … that’s my favourite part,” she said.
Featured image provided by Bronwyn Fowler.
