Jack O'lantern World — Local services in Lemont Township

I absolutely loved the concept of the event - the pumpkins (mixture of real and fake) were fantastic! Really unique ideas, I especially loved the dolphins and the spooky spin on famous art pieces. The weather was absolutely perfect too. We had a blast, but there are a couple of things that I hope the organizers read on here to improve for future events, because I would totally love to see this come back annually, and maybe even start to have a similar Christmastime event - Paulus Park is perfect for this stuff!

When walking the trail, my friends and I noticed a distinct lack of event staff monitoring areas to make sure people weren’t running around in the pumpkins. The very first display on the trail is a huge American flag made out of jack o’ lanterns, and there were a couple of women standing in front of it filming their kids dancing around the pumpkins to Party in the USA, even though it’s very obviously roped off with string lights to prevent that. There were also times where kids went into the displays and physically picked up the pumpkins to take pictures. If there were someone around (even floating between a few displays) to tell them to stop, I think that would make all the difference and prevent the displays from getting destroyed. I’d even be happy to volunteer at this event to monitor those areas - it’s really frustrating to see these amazing jack o’ lantern displays potentially get ruined by people who can’t just stay on the path.

Also, the beer vendor was absolutely terrible. He had about 2 beers cold at any time, and he was extremely rude. He also only took cash for the first hour or so of the event despite the website saying it was cashless.

I think it would be so cool if there were a few more vendors there - we saw Phase Three had some tents set up for something and they had a bunch of yard games, that would be so cool if they had that open during this event! Some sort of kids space for crafts or pumpkin carving would be nice, or even a place selling glow sticks/Halloween nighttime stuff would make an absolute killing. My friends and I really loved Jack O’ Lantern World and we were just sitting there thinking of all of these ideas to improve it for years to come, and I hope some of this can...

I was expecting so much more from this experience. Yes, the pumpkins were beautifully carved and the displays were fun to look at but the disorganization, the large crowds, and the fact that we had to wait in a long line just to see each display was ridiculous. The staff was friendly but more security was necessary to keep the flow of the lines and crowds moving. There should have been designated staff at each display to coordinate and direct the lines. People were literally toppling over each other as if they'd never seen a carved pumpkin before. Pushing and shoving like we were in the front row at a rock concert. The displays were fun but having some random person breathe into my ear trying to stretch over to see a pumpkin wasn't. Neither were the social media fanatics trying to get 500 photos with one display. My elderly mother was knocked over by a guy taking photos because he kept stepping backwards on the narrow path and bumped her over so hard. This was our first, and last, time visiting. I love the idea of a night stroll in the Fall being surrounded by thousands of pumpkins but the reality is that you'll be surrounded by a million people and that is the real horror. Along with the fact that the tickets are expensive. There is no walking. You're just shuffling at a turtles pace in the dark getting bumped. We drove over an hour just to get to Jack O' Lantern World and left feeling very disappointed. Huge accolades to the artists and carvers, though. They did an amazing job. You could see their determination and commitment to...

Jack O’ Lantern World in Lake Zurich completely exceeded my expectations! The whole experience felt like stepping into a glowing autumn wonderland. You walk through a beautifully lit trail surrounded by thousands of hand-carved pumpkins in every theme imaginable. The creativity and detail in each display were amazing, the peacock made out of pumpkins was my absolute favorite!

The atmosphere was festive but still peaceful and romantic, especially once the sun set and the lights reflected off the water. It’s perfect for couples, families, or anyone looking for something magical to do on a crisp fall night. The employees were also so kind, they even offered to take family photos for us, which was such a nice touch.

The food trucks were great, and the Mexican one was hands-down the best! We tried the tacos and churros, and everything was fresh, flavorful, and hit the spot. The apple cider donuts were to die for, warm, soft, and perfectly spiced. There’s also a fun bounce house zone that kept the kids happy and entertained while we relaxed and enjoyed our treats.

Even the little details impressed me, the porta potties were super clean and well-stocked, and they had hand washing stations right outside, which made the whole experience even better.

Between the photo ops, friendly staff, great food, and overall atmosphere, this event is 100% worth the money. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to make some cozy fall memories. We’ll definitely be back...