Warm up to Halloween at the Pumpkinferno

Travel News

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Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:25

With Halloween just a few weeks away, visitors who travel through Canada should fill their itinerary with festive events that are sure to spook and thrill all month long. For those who want to get a little artsy this autumn, the Pumpkinferno at Upper Canada Village just outside Ottawa is one of the most unique and fascinating outdoor exhibitions , featuring works by student artists who wanted to put a creative twist on the holiday. From October 5-8, visitors will have the chance to be amazed at the incredible carved pumpkins that will have them asking, "How on earth did they do that?"

This is how they do it
Here's the secret to how the artists at the Pumpkinferno create such elaborate designs: They're not real. Each of the sculptures was created from molds of real pumpkins, and the only reason why they're fake is because these figures are crafted months before the actual event - they would rot if they were real! Since the artists are given so long to create their pumpkins, the designs they come up with are incredibly ornate and depict everything from ghoulish scenes to whimsical images.

Learning experience
Each of the youngsters who designs a pumpkin is passionate about their work and carry some of the responsibility of attracting thousands of visitors to the historic Upper Canada Village for the fall season. Their pumpkins are miniature masterpieces and, most importantly, the kids have a blast coming up with themes every year.

Glowing village
This outdoor exhibit is well worth the one-hour drive from Ottawa accommodations, particularly because visitors are sure to be spellbound as they wander through several miniature villages, each of which boasts a special theme. Some will feature creepy crawlers like centipedes and spiders, while others will depict scenes of dancing ghosts and spooky witches. This year, there will also be an incredible evolution scene, which some may be familiar with as the monkey-to-homo-sapien visual chart. Funnily enough, the last figure strikes a pose from the familiar spooky Michael Jackson song, "Thriller"

Visit the Tent O' Treats
What would a Halloween-themed event be without festive treats? Just outside of the pumpkin village will be a number of food tents where visitors can try a mummy dog, brains and bones poutine or even a spider croissant. Satisfy the kids' sweet tooth with a pumpkin pie soda or classic caramel apple.