Think of the Dalston Pumpkin Lantern Festival as the Oscars of jack-‘o-lanterns.
If you’re eyeing up the perfect pumpkin this Halloween, you may want to head over to Dalston for a little inspiration. Each October, the beautiful Dalston Eastern Curve Garden hosts a breathtaking Pumpkin Lantern Festival, and it’s a truly stunning sight. The 2019 edition launches on October 21st, and it’s completely free to attend – so there’s no reason not to head over to this glorious glow up!
Make no mistake: the Pumpkin Lantern Festival does nothing by halves. Last year, over 1000 hand-carved pumpkins lit up the garden, and they’re expecting similar numbers this year. Each pumpkin has been carved by local residents, as the garden invites folks of all ages to come along to carving sessions (if you live locally, they run on October 19th & 20th). The result is everything from your standard ghoulish grin, to more intricate depictions of woodland creatures, and messages full of Dalston-lovin’.
Once carved and in position, the pumpkins will be in place for a full week, and illuminated each night in a really lovely display. It’s possibly the most wholesome night out you can have in October – and it makes for an exceedingly cute date night too!
The 2019 Dalston Pumpkin Lantern Festival runs from October 21st-27th, from 6-9pm. Entry is free, and you can find out more about Dalston Eastern Curve Garden here.
Featured image: @dalstongarden