Pumpkin season is back at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium as the Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza returns select nights October 2 through November 2. Here is the lowdown on what’s new at Pittsburgh’s perennial pumpkin-palooza.

The Zoo’s team of crackerjack carvers have created over 1,000 new pumpkins this year for a total of 3,500 jack o’lanterns that smile, shine, and shimmer in the night. New designs for 2025 include famous witches and wizards, Pittsburgh sports M.V.P.’s 90s TV shows, Motown, and beloved animals including the Zoo’s new male lion, Hondo, and its Conservation Center’s bull elephant, Jackson.

Also, for the event’s second year, we have lowered the price of the event and associated activities (including discounts for Zoo Members, Family Value Nights, and a College Discount Night) as a fall gift to our loyal audience that supports the Zoo throughout all seasons.

Are you a business or corporation who would like to give your employees the ultimate treat this Halloween season? The Water’s Edge Pavilion is available for evening corporate rental during the Jack O’Lantern Extravaganza! Our party planners will create the most boo-tiful experience for you and your dedicated crew.

As you approach the Jack O’Lantern Trail, experience our new Magic Moment skeletons. Recreating your favorite cinematic, press the interactive buttons that reveal the dialogue of our bony repertory company!  New pathway lighting and more grinning pumpkins will illuminate your way. You can also guess the weight of our record-size giant pumpkins!

Take a spin on the carousel or choo-choo-choose to climb aboard the Night Train. Don’t forget to add on a pair of spooky specs that mystify your vision. You can smash pumpkins if you are feeling kind of squashy. New this year, you can add on pumpkin painting and unleash your inner artist to create a jack o’lantern friend of your very own with paint markers.

Jack O’Lantern gazing can scare up an appetite! Fear not – we have pumpkin spice and everything nice on the menu, including sweet pumpkin stuffed pretzels, apple cider donut holes served with cream cheese icing, and funnel cake apple fries. Don’t worry about dinner because we have such options as the Devil’s Kiss Burger (a classic griddled smash burger with pepper jack cheese, pepperjack cheese, candied jalapenos, bacon, and sweet chili aioli), the Dr. Jekyll Dog with pepper relish, roasted garlic aioli, and shredded cheddar, or its alter ego, the Mr. Hyde Dog, with balsamic onion jam, bacon A1 aioli, and a potato and cheddar pierogi! Our Green Apple Icee Float features caramel ice cream and crushed peanuts. In the kooky cocktail category, our specialties including seasonal craft beers, hot apple spider…make that cider…with or without spirits, and a Pumpkin Spice White Russian (with oat milk). Spooky snacks include spooky cotton candy with gummy spiders or monster munch popcorn.

For the whole scoop on how to buy tickets and add-on experiences, click here.