Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is a Treat for the Senses

These pictures from my family's 2010 visit to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island, will give you a sense of the amazing pumpkin carving artistry on display. What they can't do is recreate the experience of strolling through a Halloween dreamland filled with musical effects, shadowy trees, watery reflections, billowy fog and thousands of unblinking pairs of glowing eyeballs.

Two options: Use your imagination as you click through these scenes, or hurry to Providence! The 2012 Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular runs nightly from 6 to 11 p.m. (last admission at 10 p.m.) October 4-November 3, 2012. The attraction stays open until midnight Saturdays and on Sunday, October 7.

How has the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular grown since the first display in 1988? Who carves these intricate designs? And just how many jack-o-lanterns will you see? I'll answer these questions and share tips for your trip in the pages of this photo tour.