Fire department drive-thru, church lot trunk-or-treat, Jack-O’Lantern trail in the park and more mark Halloween in Buffalo Grove

Halloween festivities in Buffalo Grove returned to near pre-pandemic experiences this year, with community organizations and village departments hosting reading, trick-or-treating, kids activities and more.

The Park District held its special treat-grabbing trail on Oct. 30, drawing area families to the Community Art Center. Area churches got in on the fun, including Arlington Countryside Church hosting its annual trunk-or-treat on the church grounds.

The area public libraries, including Vernon Area and Indian Trails, hosted kids activities on premises and even at other community events.

Even the Buffalo Grove Fire Department hosted little superheroes, baby pumpkins, tiny goblins and more with a drive-through trick-or-treat event Oct. 30 at Fire Station 26. The Sunday afternoon candy giveaway marked a return of the event. Families were able to drive through the fire station as firefighters and other personnel passed out treats.

After debuting in 2021 in Lake Zurich, Jack O’Lantern World returned for another season, opening on Thursday to Sunday evenings through Oct. 30.

Thousands of hand-carved pumpkins were featured on a trail at Paulus Park.

“Basically the whole entire show is new. There’s 20 installations. Nineteen of them are totally new,” Peter Starykowicz, lead artist for Jack O’Lantern World, told Pioneer Press about the exhibition.

Organizers of Jack O’Lantern World, which is presented by Lake Zurich-based All Community Events, estimated that the trail took about 45 minutes to walk through.

Starykowicz said this year’s theme was “Around the World” and featured “very detailed pumpkins” that took as many as 30 hours to have worldwide architectured carved into them.

The work included a 25-foot-tall Eiffel Tower, a 25-foot-tall pyramid and a 40-foot-long Viking ship.

“Then in our one installation where there’s like 1,000 pumpkins all in one spot, there’s different pumpkins representing each country. So there’s a couple hundred pumpkins representing USA and Ireland and Japan and so on and so forth,” said Starykowicz, who said he carved his first pumpkin around age 9.

More Top Picks Best Water Humidifiers

A new feature this year was community members being able to display their own carved pumpkins for four days.

More than 50 artisans, designers, architects, carpenters and event planners collaborated for the second year of Jack O’Lantern World.

“Last year we did have some people who came in and worked with us but this year it’s all local, which is really great. The talent is just unbelievable in terms of the things that they’re producing and the things that they’re making,” said Starykowicz, who previously worked as an architect.

The displays featured real and artificial pumpkins.

“The real pumpkins have to be replenished every single week. We’ve also experimented with carving these foam pumpkins. We’re able to produce the same end feel, which has also allowed us to extend our artistic creativity into making these large displays,” Starykowicz said.

The installations were lit with technology rather than candles.

“There was no way to light candles in thousands of pumpkins each night and keep relighting them as they blow out through the evening. They’re all lit by LED lights so that’s through the entire show. They’re all lit by LED lights inside each pumpkin,” Starykowicz said.

He added that Paulus Park, the Park District’s main park, seems made for Jack O’Lantern World.

“They have oak trees inside that park that are up to 300 years old so they’re massive and there’s a certain feel that you can create working in harmony with the very unique, natural setting there that just doesn’t exist in other places,” Starykowicz said.

Jack O’Lantern World, which helps raise money for the nonprofit Susan G. Komen, in honor of October being breast cancer awareness month, aimed to raise $20,000 this year, organizers said.

“People really enjoy the pink pumpkin installation, which is hundreds and hundreds of pink pumpkins. It’s fun, it’s exciting and it gives those who had that battle a moment to reflect on that in a positive way,” Starykowicz said.

Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer.

Pioneer Press staff contributed.