RISE || Round Two

Aside from the typical pumpkin carving and trick or treating, our family doesn't have much in the way of Halloween traditions. Shoot, this year we were lucky to pull off costumes at all (thanks, Mom for working your seamstress magic).

However, for the second year in a row we attended one of my favorite Halloween events: RISE of the Jack o' Lanterns! We were lucky to have Elizabeth, Seth, and Mason join us in the fun this year, too!

To quickly sum up the event - 5,000 pumpkins (some real, some not) are carved to create all sorts of different amazing pieces of artwork. Spectators follow a trail to "ooooh" and "ahhhh" at all 5,000 masterpieces.

There were a few displays that were the same as last year, but there were several that were new.

I think a permanent fixture for RISE is the tree decorated with several small pumpkins. From afar it almost looks as if the tree is lit by Christmas lights, but nope, those are all little pumpkins.

The intricate detail that goes in to some of these is astounding. 

Notice the car in the background? So cool.

May the force be with you.

Are you ready for some football?

Many of the displays were set quite far back and off the trail. Sadly, my phone didn't take the greatest quality pics of those.

Top to bottom, left to right:
Dia de los Muertos
T-Rex
Brontosaurus
A spider web that was complete with a massive multi-pumpkin tarantula and multi-pumpkin Spiderman
Giraffe

Of the pieces that I did get decent quality pics, these few are by far my favorite:

This old truck and car (which can partially be seen in the picture above with the Hollywood pumpkin) were my top favorites, hands down.

Coming in close second, the Chinese dragon had so many pumpkins and so many details!

Rounding out the top three, these tigers, with detail that was mind blowing.

I think we may have just created a holiday tradition for our little family. 

Maybe we've even inspired Elizabeth and her crew to make RISE a yearly tradition with us, too!