A Spooky Halloween Spectacular at the Pittsburgh Zoo
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I love Pittsburgh – it is an underrated city especially during the beautiful fall season. The temps are crisp and cool, the fall foliage is spectacular, and seasonal events can be enjoyed throughout the metro all autumn long. I love anything to do with Halloween and was pleased to find out that the zoo was hosting their first ever annual Jack O’Lantern spectacular. I attended one of these events a while back at the Providence zoo (and it was amazing), so I figured I would see if this one lived up to the high standards. Their Christmas festival is pretty fantastic, so I knew that the new Halloween event would be just as spirited. I have to say I was impressed with this event. The Jack O’lanterns were so amazing and detailed, and I loved all the extra festive touches.
For any Pittsburgher (or anyone else willing to travel for a great event) who loves Halloween and/or art, this festive artistic event is a great addition to your fall bucket list.
The Burgh’s newest Halloween Tradition
2024 marked the first year of this Halloween festival which is sure to be a recurring event based on the sold out tickets and seemingly enthusiastic crowds. The zoo is transformed into a spooky wonderland with thousands of glowing pumpkins to light up the dark fall nights. Along with an over-the-top pumpkin trail, this event features themed displays, festive autumn foods, kids activities, seasonal gifts, as well as a number of special ticketed experiences (including a train ride and a pumpkin smash).
The Pumpkin Trail
The highlight of this event is a brightly lit 1/3 mile trail of thousands of carved pumpkins located in the The Islands and Jungle Odyssey sections of the park. According to the zoo website, 25 talented artists carved 2233 pumpkins (and it took 1000 hours). Some of the pumpkins are real, some artificial, but all jack o’lanterns are created by the hands of skillet pumpkin artists. Some carvings are themed after local zoo residents, while others reflect local Pittsburgh sports legends and entertainers, as well as popular movie and tv shows of yesterday.
I loved the Beetlejuice and Hocus Pocus carvings – 2 of my favorites which are on my lineup every Halloween season! Thumbs up – they did a great job – look at the attention to detail!
Take a look at all those bright pumpkin faces on the trail. As you can see, there are hundreds of jack o’lanterns which really leads to a dazzling display. I walked this trail 3 times just to take it all in!
The Wall of Pumpkins
One of my favorite aspects of this event was the sprightly wall of jack o’lanterns choreographed to upbeat music. You couldn’t help dancing along with the lights as Michael Jackson’s’ perennial Halloween favorite Thriller and the super catchy Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy blasted in the background. Take a look at this year’s festive dancing lights!
Giant champion pumpkins!
Along the zoo pathways enroute to the trail, you will come across 3 gigantic pumpkins. You will likely question if these are real while strolling the zoo – the answer is yes! These monsters range from 1600 to 2400 pounds! According to the zoo, these whoppers were purchased from a champion grower.
Festive holiday photo opps galore
If you love taking festive holiday photos to add to your social media portfolio, you will never run out of the options here. There are endless fun photo opps next to seasonal displays, giant pumpkins, as well as lots of local ‘Burgh memorabilia.
There were so many special displays here. I could really tell that this was an event that they spent some quality time setting up. A lot of zoos are more focused on their Christmas zoo lights festival, so the Halloween display (if there is any), is thrown up rather sloppily – this is not the case here! I loved this giraffe made of pumpkins!
Pittsburgh Sports Pride!
Pittsburgh is one of the country’s best sport cities. After moving here, I could easily tell that the locals are super dedicated to the city’s iconic teams. As a Chicago native, I am used to seeing a lot of sports memorabilia and local passion (Go Bears, Bulls, and White Sox!), so it was fun exploring another city’s traditions. You will see lots of Steelers memorabilia.
You will notice a number of different themed jack o’lantern sections. Personally, I loved the 90’s movie display. I am a big movie buff and this is one of the best decades in my opinion! These carvings are so creative and articulate!
The Disney Princess display is amazing. You’ll see a range of princess from the past and present including nostalgic favorites like Ariel, Jasmine, Snow White, and Pocahontas.
Lots of great 70’s and 80’s memorabilia too. I loved the Brady Bunch, Fonz from Happy Days (“Aaay!”), Cheers, classic Saturday Night Live, and the Muppets Jack o’Lanterns. Again, such amazing attention to detail!
Pittsburgh Pride! I love that they represented the city with numerous displays including this wonderful city carving. On a side note, I recommend a ride on the Duquesne Incline or a trip up Mt. Washington to see one of the country’s best skylines while you are in town. Hands down, one of my top picks for best US cityscapes!
And this beautiful PNC Park (home to the Pirates) carving.
“It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” Did you know that Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood was filmed at WQED Studios in Pittsburgh? You can see the set at the Heinz History Center as well as artifacts including puppets and Mr. Roger’s iconic clothing items. Check out my guide to Mr. Roger’s filming locations for more details.
And of course, the event would not be complete without showcasing some of the resident animals. The lion and elephant carvings stood out the most to me. I can’t imagine how hard it was to carve these masterpieces!
More seasonal fun
- Seasonal food specials include craft beers, pumpkin hummus, apple cider, spooky dippin dots, & more.
- Night train rides and pumpkin smashing available (extra fees)
- Festive music – Near the dining areas, you can really get into the spirit as favorites like Monster Mash and This is Halloween play in the background
- Costumes are allowed and must be family friendly. Adults and teens cannot cover their face.
How much walking is required?
A fair amount of walking is required (about 2 miles for the entire loop), including a steep uphill section. Only a portion of the zoo is open. A lengthy walk is required before reaching the actual pumpkin trail. There are various food stands and displays along the way. In my opinion, they could spruce up the zoo pathways a bit before you get to the jack o’lantern trail with a few more decorations and perhaps add some spooky music to enhance the experience. We heard a lot of guests saying “where are the jack o’lanterns?” The path was a bit dark and could use more decor to hype up visitors before reaching the main event. Nevertheless, the trail itself is awesome!
Location/Pricing/Dates/Additional Details
Dates: October 2nd-November 2nd
Time: 6:30-10:30pm (tickets sell out fast – online reservations recommended)
Admission: Pricing: $20-26 per adult, $15-20 per kids
Course: The following part of the zoo are open: Village, Forest Passage, African Savanna, Jambo Plaza, The Islands, and Jungle Odyssey
Wheelchair/electric scooter rentals: The zoo recommending booking in advance.
Guests with sensitivities: Anyone sensitive to loud sounds and flashing lights can check out a sensory bag at the front gate.
*Info and pricing current as of fall 2025 and subject to change.
Also note that no animals will be on display. I recommend checking out the zoo during daylight hours as well. Although quite small, the zoo is nicely laid out with a nice diversity of animals and a great small aquarium included with admission. The leaf peeping is also wonderful this time of year. Check out my zoo guide for more pics and details.
