Jack-O-Lantern Halloween Spectacular: Roger Williams Zoo 2026*

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Venue:	Roger Williams Park Zoo
Dates:	Thursday, October 1, 2026 - Sunday, November 1, 2026
Hours:	6:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Ages:	Toddlers, Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor:	Outdoor
Cost:	$$ see below
Category:	Seasonal Fun

jack-o-lantern halloween spectacular roger williams zoo 2026 photo

Roger Williams Park Zoo’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular: The Great Pun-Kin Trail, presented by Citizens, returns October 1 through November 1 with an all-new trail of clever carvings guaranteed to make you smile, groan, and laugh out loud.

This year’s theme celebrates the art of the pun, with thousands of hand-carved pumpkins bringing witty wordplay to life through pop culture references, playful characters and pun-believable scenes.

From clever one-liners to delightfully cheesy dad jokes, there’s something to make every guest grin as they stroll The Great Pun-Kin Trail, where over 5,000 glowing jack-o’-lanterns transform the Zoo into New England’s premier fall experience.

Enjoy the magic of autumn at Roger Williams Park Zoo. All tickets are timed, available online only, and must be purchased in advance. Don’t miss New England’s “must-see” family-friendly event of the Halloween season!

Free nightly parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with optional premium parking available. Please remember to bring along your patience – the magical experience inside is worth every moment!

Pumpkin trail is open nightly from 6:00 – 10:30 pm, last entry at 10:00 pm. The Spectacular is open rain or shine, all tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for a different date.

Find many more October Events near Boston in our guide to Halloween and Fall fun for families.

COST

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**Tickets are sold online only** | Value Night Pricing (Monday-Thursday): $20 per adult, $16 per child. Prime Nights (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) $23 per adult, $19 per child. Toddlers ages 1 and under attend free. They will receive a complimentary ticket upon arrival. | Purchase Tickets

WEBSITE

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www.rwpzoo.org/jols

LOCATION

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Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI, 02907 map
Phone: (401) 785-3510

Roger Williams Park Zoo
1000 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, RI 02907

TIPS

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Looking for this year's Salem Haunted Happenings events? Be sure to check their entire schedule for a month of Halloween fun.
In addition, you can find all sorts of family fun in our October events guide, a list of Pumpkin Festivals near Boston, as well as our handy guides to activities like Apple Picking and Corn Mazes near Boston. Enjoy the fall!

REVIEWS

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Jack o' Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Zoo

Just need one word to describe this Awesome! The talent is amazing.....This is a must see....

Long Lines No Staff - DO NOT GO ON THE WEEKEND

If you like lines upon lines starting with a 90 min car ride to go 600 yds just to park have fun. This was just the start: We pulled in on Sat. at 7:00pm and did not see a thing till 9:30-10:00. Then the trail was packed and many with small kids and parents having trouble keeping track of them. No staff to to let you know how long lines would take. Sooooo NOT worrh it!

beautiful but packed on the weekend

the drive from boston area is an hour at night (no traffic) and the saturday night line to enter was LONG....while waiting, one passes a lot of concession stands (food, snacks, trinkets, glow wands) that tempt the little kids and cost the parents! the pumpking were really really pretty and the music and other effects are superb. i assume that the weekdays have a shorter line and make it more worth it...also AAA members get a bit off from the steep price so bring your card!!

Jack O Lantern Spectacular

We made an afternoon of it this past Tuesday in Providence with our 3 yr old dtr -- children's museum followed by the spectacular. Decided to try their bbq option--was quite pricey, but frankly, well worth it as once we were finished with our meal, we were escorted directly to the front of the exhibit line. I'm not sure how our little one would have fared if we would have had to wait! We've found a new Halloween tradition!

Long Lines

We went on Saturday night and it was packed. We waited for over two hours in line before we saw the pumpkins - an hour once we were in the zoo and the rest to get into the zoo. Once we got to the pumpkins you can't just mill around because there are hundreds of other people around you pushing you through... That being said, some of the pumpkins were amazing but the majority were just your average carving that you would do with your child. It would have been much more enjoyable had we not waited in line as long - we waited because we drove down from Massachusetts to see it. If you plan on going, buy your tickets ahead of time so you can bypass the lines outside the zoo and only wait once you're inside the park.

Could Not Even Get In The Parking Lot

Tried to see this last Sunday night at 8 pm. So overcrowded, we could not even get in the parking lot and went home. Saw some people getting angry at the entrance because of gridlock. Good thing we came from the south, since the traffic jam from the north went on for over a mile, and people were stuck: boxed in with no outlet to turn around and exit and not one person or one sign was stationed near the road to help direct traffic or inform what the heck was going on.