Franklin Park Conservatory's Grand Mallway is glowing again this fall, as Pumpkins Aglow returns to the East Broad Street gardens with more than 700 hand-carved pumpkins arranged into pirate scenes, spooky displays, under-the-sea mermaids and performing skeletons. The signature fall experience runs on select evenings through Nov. 1, drawing families looking for a different kind of Halloween outing in Columbus.
As reported by WSYX, the event is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Oct. 7, and continue through Nov. 1 at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The Conservatory's own listing describes the display as its signature fall experience, built around the pumpkin house and the singing pumpkin patch, according to fpconservatory.org. The venue sits at 1777 E. Broad Street in Columbus, a detail confirmed in a separate event listing from the same source.
Nightly Hours and Live Entertainment
Per fpconservatory.org, Pumpkins Aglow runs from 5 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and stretches to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Live entertainment is also part of the event. Beyond the illuminated pumpkin displays, the event includes a light-up dance floor, interactive games and refreshments.
Guests can also expect local food trucks and a brand-new hay maze for kids this year, according to an event listing from osu.edu. That same listing notes attendees receive a light-up pumpkin necklace while supplies last, and that visitors can choose 30-minute entry times between 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., with the option to stay until 10 p.m. The event is open to guests of all ages, with parking available in the onsite lot.
Sold-Out Nights and a Private Igloo Option
Not every evening is available. The Conservatory's page states that tickets for Friday, Oct. 16 are currently unavailable, and reservations will not be offered on Thursday, Oct. 29 because of a 21+ Cocktails at the Conservatory event that night. Families hoping to attend on those dates will need to pick another evening from the schedule.
For a more private experience, Franklin Park Conservatory also offers heated igloo rentals as part of Pumpkins Aglow, per fpconservatory.org. A rental runs three hours, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and includes admission for six guests. The same listing warns that igloo reservations are final — cancellations, rescheduling or changes of any kind are not permitted for any reason.
Conflicting Dates Across Listings
Exactly when Pumpkins Aglow begins and ends depends on which listing a visitor checks. The Conservatory's own exhibition page lists the event running October 7-11, 14-18, 21-25 and 28 through Nov. 1. A separate nbc4i.com roundup of Columbus-area fall festivals instead lists the run as beginning Oct. 7 and ending Nov. 1, while a columbusunderground.com listing gives yet another set of dates — October 15-19, 22-26 and 29 through Nov. 2. The Conservatory separately describes Pumpkins Aglow on fpconservatory.org as a special engagement on select October evenings requiring separate tickets, but the discrepancy between the three date ranges has not been resolved.
Whatever the exact calendar, the Conservatory's grounds are set to stay lit through the end of the season, with hand-carved pumpkins and themed scenes filling the Grand Mallway; live entertainment is also part of the event. Columbus Underground's listing emphasizes the sheer scale of the display, noting it features more than 700 hand-carved pumpkins spread across themed scenes including pirates, spiders, skeletons and aliens.
