Looking for one of the best Halloween events in the Twin Cities? The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at the Minnesota Zoo is back for 2026, bringing more than 5,000 artistically carved, glowing pumpkins to Apple Valley for more than a month of fall fun.
Running September 25 through November 1, 2026, the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular transforms the Minnesota Zoo into a glowing nighttime experience filled with incredible pumpkin carvings, colorful displays, seasonal food and drinks, music, activities, and plenty of Halloween atmosphere.
And this year, there's a new twist: trivia!
Whether you're planning a family outing, date night, night out with friends, or simply looking for something fun to do in the Twin Cities this fall, this popular Minnesota Halloween tradition deserves a spot on your calendar.
What: Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular
Where: Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, Minnesota
Dates: September 25 – November 1, 2026
Admission: Adults $23–$30; Children $19–$26
Ages 0–2: FREE, no ticket required
Parking: $10 per vehicle for non-members
Minnesota Zoo Members: Save $3–$4 on general admission tickets
Tickets: Advance online tickets are required
Tickets are valid only for the specific date and time selected and are nonrefundable. The Minnesota Zoo notes that this event sells out every year, so purchasing tickets early is a good idea.
The star of the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is, of course, the pumpkins.
More than 5,000 artistically carved pumpkins illuminate the wooded trail at the Minnesota Zoo, creating one of the most impressive fall displays in Minnesota.
The experience has an expanded route for 2026, along with new experiences on the plaza and more room to explore the glowing displays.
This isn't just a trail of traditional jack-o'-lantern faces, either. Expect elaborate artwork and detailed carvings that turn ordinary pumpkins into illuminated works of art.
This year's Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular puts trivia center stage.
As you travel along the trail, you'll encounter trivia questions. The catch? The pumpkins themselves are the answers.
You'll need to search the displays and figure out which pumpkin provides the correct answer. Questions range from things kids may immediately recognize to subjects that could give the adults in the group an advantage.
It adds a fun interactive element to the walk and gives returning visitors something completely new to experience in 2026.
Event hours vary depending on when you visit.
September 26 – October 13
MEA Weekend: October 14–17
October 18 – November 1
There are also special adults-only nights with separate hours and ticketing.
General admission tickets range from:
Adults: $23–$30
Children: $19–$26
Children ages 0–2: FREE and do not require a ticket
Minnesota Zoo members receive $3–$4 off general admission tickets.
Non-members should also plan on $10 parking per vehicle.
All tickets must be purchased online in advance and are valid only for the date and time selected. Tickets are nonrefundable. If you need to move your tickets to another available date or time, the Zoo charges a $15 ticket-change fee per transaction.
Purchase Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular tickets from the Minnesota Zoo
Don't make the mistake of arriving at the Zoo exactly at the time printed on your ticket.
The Minnesota Zoo recommends arriving at least 30 minutes before your scheduled time.
Your ticket time is your wristband time. After checking in, you'll receive a wristband corresponding to your scheduled entrance onto the Pumpkin Trail.
Arriving early also gives you time to enjoy activities before hitting the trail, including:
When your wristband time arrives, head to the Wristband Check Point to enter the Pumpkin Plaza and Jack-O-Lantern Trail.
Want to spend less time waiting?
A limited number of Priority Pumpkin Passes are available as an add-on to regular admission.
The pass provides expedited entry to the Pumpkin Trail and lets you enjoy unlimited access to the trail throughout the evening, so you can go back through and take another look at your favorite carvings.
Only 100 Priority Pumpkin Passes are available per night, and every paying guest who wants priority access needs their own pass.
Priority Pumpkin Passes aren't available during the special 18+ nights.
Come hungry because there's much more than pumpkins waiting at the Zoo.
Seasonal food and drinks are available throughout Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, including dinner options, snacks, sweets and beverages.
New menu items for 2026 include the Banshee's Irish Spice Bag, featuring chicken, crispy tots, peppers and onions with five spice and curry sauce, and the Ghostly Inferno Burger, topped with Ghost Pepper Cheddar, raspberry serrano jam, potato strings and herb aioli.
You'll also find familiar favorites including burgers, Chicago-style hot dogs, cheese curds, loaded tots and Bavarian pretzels.
For dessert, look for treats such as White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Swirl Cake, gluten-free brownies, kettle corn and S'mores Kits. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free choices are also available.
Cold Minnesota fall evening?
The Zoo has that covered.
Seasonal beverages include Harvest Moon Hot Chocolate, made with dark chocolate, sweet orange syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles, brownie bites and chocolate-covered dried orange.
There's also Firelight Cider, featuring warm apple cider, caramel, whipped cream and cinnamon.
Adults 21+ can add spirits to select drinks, and beer, hard seltzers and cocktails are available at select locations.
Want to enjoy the pumpkins without the kids?
The Minnesota Zoo is hosting three 18+ nights in 2026:
September 25 – Oktoberfest / Adult Night
Enjoy farm animals, German-inspired food, draft beverages and a polka band before heading to the Pumpkin Trail. The event runs until midnight.
October 7 – Trivia Mafia / Adult Night
Trivia Mafia brings creepy, curious and tricky questions to the Zoo. Doors open at 5 p.m., trivia begins at 6 p.m., and the pumpkin experience begins at 7 p.m.
October 31 – Halloween Night 18+
Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2026, and the Zoo is celebrating with an adults-only Halloween night featuring thousands of glowing pumpkins and festive drinks. Costumes are welcome but not required.
Adult Night tickets are $45 per person, with Minnesota Zoo members receiving $5 off. Parking is $10 per vehicle for non-members.
Here's a fun option for birthdays, anniversaries and even marriage proposals.
You can order a professionally carved personalized pumpkin featuring a message or image that will be displayed along the trail during your visit.
Afterward, the pumpkin is yours to take home.
The personalized pumpkin package includes admission for two people. Requests must be submitted at least 10 business days before your visit, and corporate logos aren't accepted.
Plan on doing some walking.
From Celebration Plaza, it's approximately a 10-minute, quarter-mile walk to the beginning of the pumpkin trail.
The trail itself is approximately another quarter mile and generally takes 40–50 minutes to experience.
There can also be a wait to enter the trail depending on attendance, so you'll want to allow additional time for your visit.
The route includes varying terrain, elevation changes and a considerable incline. Strollers and wagons are welcome.
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular trail is accessible to guests using mobility assistive devices, although visitors should be aware of the elevation changes and incline along the route.
Standard wheelchairs, extended-size wheelchairs and motorized ECVs are available to rent on a first-come, first-served basis from the Guest Services Desk inside the Zoo entrance.
The event also includes changing lights, illuminated displays, fog, music and amplified sound. Guests who are sensitive to sound may want to bring ear protection or noise-reducing headphones.
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is an outdoor, rain-or-shine event, so check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.
The Minnesota Zoo may cancel the event in cases of heavy rain, high winds or other significant weather conditions. If the Zoo cancels the event, ticket holders will be contacted regarding reimbursement or rescheduling when possible.
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular isn't a normal nighttime Zoo visit.
Visitors can see animals in Discovery Bay until 8 p.m., but other animal viewing areas and the Treetop Trail are closed during the event.
Absolutely, and you're probably going to want plenty of them.
Photos and videos are allowed as long as you aren't blocking the trail or interfering with other guests' views.
However, flash photography, tripods, monopods and selfie sticks are not allowed.
There are plenty of Halloween events around Minneapolis and St. Paul, but few deliver quite the visual experience of thousands of glowing pumpkins filling a wooded trail after dark.
Between the 5,000+ carved pumpkins, new trivia experience, seasonal food and drinks, dance parties, adults-only nights and Halloween atmosphere, the 2026 Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is an easy addition to your Minnesota fall bucket list.
Bring the kids for a family Halloween adventure, make it a date night, or gather your friends for one of the special 18+ evenings.
Just don't wait until Halloween week to decide you want to go. The Minnesota Zoo says Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular sells out every year.
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular runs September 25 through November 1, 2026, at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley.
