Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns returns to Long Island at a new location 

Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns has opened on Long Island, with more than 5,000 pumpkins hanging in trees and carved into artwork along a “magical” and “evocative” spooky loop through the woods at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts in Wheatley Heights.

“Most people know Usdan as a place you go in the summer in the daytime,” camp director Lauren Brandt Schloss said at a ribbon cutting on Sept. 29. “This is the camp coming alive in the fall at night. We’re thrilled to have the event at Usdan for the first time ever.”

The 8-tenths of a mile, family-friendly walk includes craft pumpkins (not all are real pumpkins) carved into 175 panels that feature illuminated characters such as the sisters from Disney’s “Encanto,” “Harry Potter” and “Buzz Lightyear.” There’s also Halloween characters and movie stars such as Marilyn Monroe. Individual Jack O’Lanterns are lighted from within with LED lights.

“It’s not a haunted attraction; you can walk on the trail and nobody is going to jump out at you,” said Mike Pollock, executive producer of Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns. Individual pumpkins are carved with a variety of facial expressions, both scary and silly. “There’s some comedy stuff in there to make people laugh,” Pollock said. “We definitely want them to be in awe.”

Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns had previously been held at Nassau County’s Old Westbury Gardens. It was tabled in 2020 due to the pandemic, and in 2021 due to drainage issues in the Old Westbury Garden parking lot. Those logistical issues with parking caused the event to move to Usdan this year, Pollock said.

Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns dovetails with Usdan’s mission of celebrating the transformative power of the arts, Schloss said. “Our goal is to instill in the community the drive and desire to contribute to the creativity of the world,” she said.

The event continues through Nov. 6. All ticket purchases must be made in advance. Each ticket will be set for a specific time.