Thursday, October 4 through Sunday, November 4

New this year, join us for special event themed nights.  All events are 6:00 – 8:00 pm, and included in the price of your Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular ticket.

Fairy Tale Nights
Wednesday, October 10 and Thursday, October 11
Meet and take photos with beloved fairy tale characters.  Grab a candy apple or some witches brew, and as the sun sets, find your favorite fairy tale personalities intricately carved on the pumpkins on the trail.

Wizarding Nights
Wednesday, October 17 and Thursday, October 18
Wizards and witches get your wands, mount your brooms and fly on over to meet some of the characters from the wizarding world.  Try a butter brew, then travel the pumpkin trail, and identify characters and scenes from the wizarding world. Free a house elf by donating new clean children's socks to Project Undercover to provide necessities to underserved children in Rhode Island.

Super Hero Nights
Wednesday, October 24 and Thursday, October 25
You never know who might show up at the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular.  Comic book fans might meet Black Panther, Captain America, Iron Man, Spider Man, and the gang. Take a photo, and find out how they all save the world.  As our heroes go back out to fight evil, find your hero’s pumpkin on the pumpkin trail. 

RWP Zoo Membership Discount:​

• To receive the member discount for online tickets, all members must log into their online member account and the discount will automatically apply at checkout.
• Value Night ticket attendees may also purchase discounted member tickets in-person with a valid Roger Williams Park Zoo membership card/eMembership card and matching photo I.D.
• Reciprocal memberships do not apply.

AAA Member Discount - Tuesdays: Available for purchase at Zoo admissions ONLY.

• Current AAA members save $2 off adult and $1 off child tickets. (limit of two adults and two children)
• To receive the AAA discount, AAA members must purchase tickets in-person at the Zoo admission window, and members must show a valid AAA membership card and a matching photo I.D. 

We offer the opportunity for organizations to host private events any night during our Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular.  No matter how big or small the event, we can provide you with an exciting evening. For more information, please contact: gsales@rwpzoo.org.

The Zoo has free nightly parking, which is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional parking is available on the street in Roger Williams Park. 

We also offer OPTIONAL premium parking for $10 per car. This will be available nightly in the lot closest to the show entrance and exit gates. Available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Stroller and wheelchair rentals are not available at night.  If a patron is in need of a wheelchair, admissions staff will provide one at no charge on a first-come, first-served basis.  The trail is fully wheelchair accessible.

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is open rain or shine. In the case of light to moderate rain, the show will be open.  There will be no refunds or rescheduling.  Roger Williams Park Zoo management will close the event if there is a threat of heavy rain and high winds.  Only when Roger Williams Park Zoo cancels the show, patrons who purchased advance tickets will be reimbursed or may come another evening. Please call in advance, check the website or visit Facebook for updates.  Please be advised that when the trail is open, we will NOT refund Prime Night tickets.  This includes nights when there is heavy rain or similar conditions.  Instead, Prime Night ticketholders who decline admission on their ticketed night will be able to redeem their tickets only on another Value Night (Monday – Thursday) evening.  Refunds/changes to your order requested after the last day of the show (November 4, 2018) are not permitted.

Yes. Tickets for Prime Nights, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday sold ONLINE ONLY.  Tickets for Value Nights, Monday through Thursday are available online and at the admissions window.  Buying your ticket online will allow you to bypass the ticket purchase lines and go directly to the line for the pumpkin trail. Monday – Thursday Value Nights, look for signs indicating the booth entry for advanced ticket holders. To purchase tickets visit rwpzoo.org/jols.

Yes, you may buy individual tickets online any time. Please remember that group tickets require advanced purchase.

We do not allow flash photography, tripods, monopods or selfie sticks as a courtesy and safety measure. Otherwise, yes, you may take pictures as long as you do not impede viewing or the flow of traffic on the trail.

There is no smoking anywhere in the Zoo at any time. Further, per the City of Providence, the entire Roger Williams Park and Roger Williams Park Zoo are smoke free. We do not allow e-cigarettes.

The member discount applies to those on your membership and nobody else.

There are about 5,000 pumpkins on display all lit with LED lights.

They keep carving and enhancing the displays throughout the life of the show. The carvers expect to go through about 20,000 pumpkins during the course of the 32-night run.

The Spectacular is an important fundraiser for Roger Williams Park Zoo. Proceeds from the event will support the Zoo’s animal care, environmental education, and conservation efforts both locally and around the globe.

Located just 50 minutes from Boston, 60 minutes from New London, CT and 90 minutes from Hartford with easy access off Interstate 95.  GPS users, enter address "1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence RI." 

For travelers coming from the north and east of Providence, head south on Route 95 and take RI exit 17. At the stop light, take a left. At the next stoplight, turn right for a jug handle turn that will take you into Roger Williams Park.  Follow signs to the Zoo entrance.

From points South of Providence, take Route 95 heading north. Take exit 16 and bear right at the split. At the bottom of the ramp, take a left onto Elmwood Ave then shortly take a right into the Roger Williams Park. Follow signs to the Zoo entrance.

From Route 10 South - take the Elmwood Ave Exit. At the stop light at the bottom of the ramp, take a left onto Elmwood Ave. Take a right into the Roger Williams Park. Follow signs to the Zoo entrance.

Once inside the entrance of Roger Williams Park, follow signs for the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular to the Zoo.

An additional option is to enter the Park at Broad Street and Hawthorne Avenue in Providence. This may be a better option on busy nights. Use your GPS to determine the best route.

IMPORTANT – SOME OF THE ROADWAYS INSIDE ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ARE ONE-WAY.  PLEASE OBSERVE ALL TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND SIGNS.

If you have additional questions about the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular and Soaring Eagle Zip Ride, please contact info@rwpzoo.org.  We look forward to seeing you!!