Creepy Carvings

Every Halloween, windows glow with carved pumpkins. But jack-o’-lanterns weren’t always made with just pumpkins. To celebrate the fall harvest, people in Great Britain used to hollow out turnips, beets, or potatoes and light them with coal or candles. 

These days, people take spooky pumpkin art to a whole new level. In 2011, a team of carvers led by Ray Villafane from Arizona set the Guinness World Record for largest pumpkin sculpture. They created a zombie scene using two huge pumpkins that together weighed more than 3,500 pounds! 

Sue Beatrice, co-owner of Pumpkin Sculpt USA, was part of that record-breaking team. The key for carving success, she says, is to let your imagination run wild. “Since it will rot in a few days no matter what you do, you don’t have to worry about mistakes,” she says.

Interested in creating a super-sized jack-o’-lantern? First find a hefty pumpkin. Before you start carving your Halloween masterpiece, get inspired by these pumpkin facts and trends.

Windows glow with carved pumpkins every Halloween. But jack-o’-lanterns weren't always made with pumpkins. People in Great Britain used to celebrate the fall harvest. They would hollow out turnips and beets. They would carve potatoes. They would light them with coal or candles.

People carve pumpkins differently now. A team of carvers created a giant pumpkin sculpture in 2011. Ray Villafane led the team. He is from Arizona. The team set the Guinness World Record for largest pumpkin sculpture. The team created a zombie scene. The team used two huge pumpkins. The two pumpkins together weighed more than 3,500 pounds!

Sue Beatrice is the co-owner of Pumpkin Sculpt USA. She was part of that record-breaking team. She says the key to carving pumpkins is to let your imagination run wild. “It will rot in a few days no matter what you do. You don’t have to worry about mistakes,” she says.

Are you interested in creating a giant jack-o’-lantern? First find a hefty pumpkin. Get inspired by these pumpkin facts and trends!