Pumpkinferno at Fort Henry Exhibits

Dragon’s Lantern Lair

Year created: 2016

Hours to carve: 88

Total pumpkin count: 378

Interesting tidbit:

The Pumpkinferno team has remade this theme a total of three times in its 11 years of production. Being one of the most sought-after themes by our partnering companies who put on their own Pumpkinferno events, the Chinese [pumpkin] dragon has found a home in Morrisburg, Sudbury, Penetanguishene, and now Kingston!!

Reason for choosing this theme:

This theme was first created in 2012, the year that Pumpkinferno debuted. The year 2012 was also the year of the dragon in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese dragon represents good luck, strength, and health, making it the perfect theme to kick off what has turned into well-admired event! Back by popular demand of our visitors in 2016, this specific version of the dragon is the most recent remake (the third rendition)!

Year created: 2018

Hours to carve: 162

Total pumpkin count: 725

Interesting tidbit:

In exhibits depicting people, such as those waiting for the train in this theme, our designer often uses the faces and/or bodies of staff on our production team (or their friends and family) as models for the designs! And made up of 271, the train in this theme is the largest exhibit on display at Pumpkinferno!

Reason for choosing this theme:

Steampunk is a fictional historical era that combines the aesthetics of the Victorian Era with retro-futuristic technology. Inspired by the juxtaposition of operating a contemporary event, Pumpkinferno, on the grounds of Upper Canada Village, a Victorian-age historic site (the original Pumpkinferno location), Steampunk Station was thus created. As Douglas Fetherling describes, “Steampunk is a genre that imagines how different the past might have been had the future come earlier.”

Patriotic Pastimes

Year created: 2017

Hours to carve: 62

Total pumpkin count: 308

Interesting tidbit:

Part of this theme is a subtle play on “The Hockey Sweater” story by Canadian author Roch Carrier. The story is based on the author’s own love for hockey, and his childhood obsession with Montreal Canadiens’ star player, Maurice Richard, who wore jersey #9.

Reason for choosing this theme:

In 2017, Pumpkinferno celebrated Canada 150 by creating ALL CANADIAN themes! Of course, Patriotic Pastimes was at the top of the list; you can’t celebrate Canada without a good ol’ hockey game!

Legends from our Land

Year created: 2015 + 2016

Hours to carve: 38

Total pumpkin count: 187

Interesting tidbit:

• The figures and symbols in this theme represent various legends and stories told to children in the Mohawk culture to instill morals and principles to follow as they grow into themselves. Depicted are the “Three Sisters”, “Flying Head”, “Celestial Tree” and “Atotarho.”

Reason for choosing this theme:

In 2015 and 2016, Upper Canada Village partnered with a local Indigenous artist, Victoria Ransom, from the Native North American Travelling College (NNATC), to come up with the ideas for this theme. She created the preliminary sketches and the Pumpkinferno team turned those sketches into pumpkins!

Expression Progression

These emotional pumpkins will give you mood swings as they guide you through a series of changing expressions.

Fur Trade

Take a trip back to the early 17th Century when the fur trade between French explorers and this land’s Indigenous people took place.

Day of the Dead

Bask in the beauty of these intricately carved decorative skulls. They are a popular symbol used in the celebration of the Mexican holiday, “Dia de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) to remember and support the spiritual journey of deceased loved ones

Sponsored by: WSP Canada

Cycle Through Time

Get on your bikes and ride! Take a look at how bicycles have changed over time. Did you know the first bike had no pedals or steering mechanism? Cyclists used their feet to push the bicycle along and leaned to either side in order to control their direction.

Night at the Gallery

Our Pumpkinferno artists reassert their creative abilities in this mesmerizing display of recreated works of art: larger-than-life famous paintings by some of the greatest painters in history, including the work of two well-known Canadian artists who were affiliated with the Group of Seven!

Psychedelic 60’s

Far out man! We’re stoked about our sound & light musical pumpkin exhibit!! The summer of ’69 was outta sight and trippy, so embrace your inner hippie, and get in the groove at this psychedelic rock extravaganza!