Springbrook’s Pumpkin Night brings 3,300 visitors to nature center

By Elyse Kaner on October 26, 2012 at 7:00 am

Springbrook Nature Center was host to 3,300 visitors at its annual Pumpkin Night in the Park.

The trails at Springbrook were lined with 800 carved and lit jack o’lanterns. Photo by Elyse Kaner

The Oct. 20 evening event brought people dressed in costumes ranging from firemen to fairy princesses.

But the feature of the evening was 800 individually carved and lit pumpkins that lined the darkened paths of the center. Community members and organizations did the carving.

This year Springbrook added 200 more pumpkins to the scene and an additional path for display.

Among other features along the trail were an Elvis impersonator, who emerged from his tomb to perform, ghosts, witches, Road Kill Cafe characters and more. An indoor underwater adventure with sea monsters was also a hit.

Last year’s Pumpkin Night in the Park drew 3,100 visitors, according to Springbrook staff.

: The Walbergs, Paige, 10, mom Brenda Walberg and Skylar Walberg, 8, of Andover got into the spirit of Halloween Saturday night at Springbrook Nature Center’s annual Pumpkin Night in the Park. Photos by Elyse Kaner

: Fireman Ben Sumner, 5, plays Bingo with this mother, Susan Sumner, of Coon Rapids.

: Three generations of St. Clairs enjoy Pumpkin Night in the Park. Siah St. Clair, Sr., is pictured with his son Siah St. Clair, Jr. and his 10-month-old grandson also named Siah. The senior St. Clair is the director of Fridley’s Springbrook Nature Center.

: Mike Lee of Mounds View was Capt. Jack Sparrow.

: Chris Kocinski of Fridley did some scuba diving with a giant sea monster in Springbrook’s indoor Pumpkin Night display.

: Caleb Taylor, 5, of Spring Lake Park briefly hung out with some ghosts.

: This couple’s carriage tipped over in Springbrook in the 1880s. They were looking for it to make their return trip home. Mayor Scott Lund of Fridley is pictured with Krystina Kaas and ghostly baby, Emma.