Tunnel with thousands of glowing pumpkins coming to Ontario this fall

If you're like me and despise haunted houses but still want to get into the Halloween spirit this year, you'll be pleased to hear there's a glowing attraction in Ontario that offers all the magic of the season, without any of the jump scares. 

Considered one of Ontario's most hotly anticipated Halloween traditions, Pumpkins After Dark is returning for another year of immersive art and illumination. The outdoor celebration features over 10,000 jack-o'-lanterns, expertly carved by a team of artists year-round. 

Every season, thousands of lanterns, carved into classic Halloween characters, dinosaurs, dragons, and pop-culture icons, illuminate a roughly one-kilometre trail. Each pumpkin is hand-carved using 2D and 3D techniques, and it takes approximately 11 months to create one show. 

Pumpkins After Dark originally began as a small community tradition and has since grown into one of the world's largest pumpkin celebrations, with locations in Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada, and the U.S. 

You won't have to worry about any jump scares here, as there are no actors or spooky surprises lurking along the way, only the warm glow of thousands of pumpkins. 

Pumpkins After Dark has three locations in Ontario, including in London at Storybook Gardens, Milton at Country Heritage Park, and Markham at Markham Museum. The London and Markham events run this year from Oct. 2 to Oct. 31, while the Milton experience runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 31. 

Since the pathways are self-paced, most guests end up spending between one and two hours moving through the experience. All that walking will surely get your belly rumbling, and luckily, there are concession items available on-site, including popcorn, cookies, hot chocolate, and Tiny Tom Donuts at select locations. 

Aside from the glowing tunnel, the experiences will feature a brand-new World Tour theme, with displays inspired by different continents. Other add-on experiences include a new Bee Hive maze, as well as Dracula's Haunted Castle. 

If you're on a budget, the experience is discounted every Thursday, with general admission tickets for youth priced at $15.95 and adults at $18.95. Otherwise, general admission prices vary depending on the timing of your visit and go up to $27.95 for adults. 

Timed slots are filling up fast, so make sure to grab your tickets online before the Halloween rush.