Pumpkin Night in the Park

Help carve more than 1,000 pumpkins for the Pumpkin Night in the Park event!

Registration for 2026 will start September 1, 2026.

Sunday October 11 - Thursday October 15

Bring the family, your scout group, the entire neighborhood to help carve pumpkins. You bring the creativity and person power, we provide the rest (gutted pumpkins, carving tools and patterns).

Carving will take place at the Picnic Shelter (outdoors) at Springbrook. Please make sure to dress for the weather conditions.

Sunday Carving Sign Up
Monday Carving Sign Up
Tuesday Carving Sign Up
Wednesday Carving Sign Up
Thursday Carving Sign Up

Limited onsite event parking is available across 85th Avenue in the RMS/Cretex parking lot. A special thank you to RMS/Cretex for sponsoring this year's Pumpkin Night in the Park.

Note: Onsite parking is limited. Please utilize shuttle parking if possible.

Planning on attending Pumpkin Night in the Park? Then plan on using our Free Park 'n Ride/Shuttle out of Spring Lake Park Highschool. Skip the hassle of finding a parking spot, waiting in event traffic and walking from event parking by taking the FREE shuttle from Spring Lake Park High School. You will be dropped off at the front gate of Springbrook Nature Center.

Shuttles will run continuously from 4:45 - 9:15 p.m.

See last year's map and shuttle schedule. 

It takes many people to make Pumpkin Night in the Park a success. There are many kinds of jobs on many different days. If you like to help with pumpkins - we have a job for you. If you like to lift up things and move them to other places - we have a job for you. If you like to be a part of the event when all the folks are here - we have many jobs for you.

See a list of last year's volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in volunteering or the event please email Cody Rosetti.   

Pumpkin Gutter

How does gutting pumpkins with a power tool sound? Awesome, right? If you're hoping to be a member of this crew, you will want to dress to be outdoors and in clothing that is okay to be covered with pumpkin guts. Please make sure you are at least 14 at the time of the volunteer opportunity (if you're running the power tools). Dates run October 11-15, 2026.

Pumpkin Carving Assistant

Help guide the public through the process of carving pumpkins for this year's event. You could be checking people in during each time slot, loading pumpkins onto tables, moving pumpkins into vehicles, passing out patterns, washing tools, and interacting with the delightful folks who are helping carve more than 1,000 pumpkins. Dress for the weather (you will be outside), wear layers, bring something warm to drink, and good supportive shoes. Dates run October 11-15, 2026. 

Parking Attendants

Help guide guests into the parking lots across the street from the nature center. Members of this crew have an important job in greeting guests and being the first interaction they have to this year's event. We'd like to ask for adults only on this volunteer opportunity.

Pumpkin Placers and Pumpkin Lighters

Join the staff on Saturday morning to place the beautifully carved pumpkins along the trails. Dress for the weather in clothing that can be covered with pumpkin goo. Date for this opportunity is October 17, 2026.

Maybe you'd like to help light the 1,000 pumpkins along the trail just before the event begins. Date for this opportunity is October 17, 2026.

Check out this year's line up for tasty treats!  Come back often as we add more information!

Brick Oven Bus

Brick Oven Bus is a Minnesota born food truck! We cook wood-fire pizza out of a short school bus. It is hard to miss on the streets of MN because our bus has a four foot tall brick chimney sticking out of the top. Meat lovers, vegetarians, and kids will all find something to enjoy!

Come and Get It!

Pick from sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, chicken drummies, and more. We promise a meal you won't forget!

Gray Duck Concessions

We are a 100% Gluten Free truck!

Gourmet Mini Doughnuts with specialty topping made from scratch including Classic Cinnamon Sugar, Maple Bacon, S’More, Birthday Cake, Cookies 'n Cream, and Cinnamon Roll. Beverages include cold or hot coffee, iced chai, cold or hot caramel apple cider, and hot cocoa.

Jumbo egg rolls on a stick, cream cheese wontons, chicken dumplings, spicy garlic wings, avocado spring rolls, eggroll noodle salad and more! 

Mr. Taco

Recognized as a TOP 10 of Anoka County Mexican Restaurants in 2025. Mr. Taco specializes in serving authentic and delicious Mexican food. Menu includes tacos, burritos, and burrito bowls with fresh ingredients.

Mike's Kettle Corn

Serving fresh Kettle Corn and Cotton Candy. You may have seen us at the Minneapolis Farmers Market.

T-Rex Cookies

For nearly a decade we’ve been putting our ideas into action and perfecting each one of our recipes to create a quality, consistent outsized cookie with only real non artificial ingredients. Which means a Vegan or a Gluten Free Warrior might find us disappointing. That’s just the way we are. Share a cookie or, keep it all to yourself. We won’t judge.