Wednesday, October 30, 2019 4:00 am

One of my favourite things about Autumn is that it feels different throughout the day. In the daylight it’s crisp yet comforting, making you want to cozy up in a warm sweater, but at night, it can be magical.

I for one really enjoy the dusky side of Fall, even if it’s sometimes harder to soak in the changing colours. On our latest excursion we visited Pumpkins After Dark, an outdoor exhibit with thousands of hand carved pumpkins.

As someone who can barely manage a basic triangle face, I was blown away by the level of detail in the jack-o-lanterns. The displays cover a bunch of different themes, from dinosaurs (that actually roar) and wild animals, to Frozen characters, to a giant ouija board - one of my personal favourites. Our daughter was a fan of the African Sahara animals.

When we bought the tickets I was initially nervous that it would be too scary for our two year old, but she didn’t get the spookier stuff and liked seeing all the pumpkins lit up. Kids and adults alike will also enjoy spotting different characters along the path from the parking lot to the main event. We saw Mario, Pikachu, Snoopy and Slimer. One of the coolest parts is entering through the pumpkin "tunnel" which includes an overhang covered in what has to be more than 100 jack-o-lanterns. The whole trail is about 1/4 of a mile long and includes a number of different displays (again, they use thousands of pumpkins.) Along the way, there was a pitstop that offered free glow sticks and hot cider. In addition to the trail, there are also a few fun photo ops. At the end you can take a picture with a fake pumpkin head on, plus you can pose with the giant pumpkins. There's also a Beavertails truck right at the end, which is a nice way to cap off a chilly night.

Overall, we loved that there were different fandoms and themes represented in the carving, and that it was not spooky, making it family-friendly. For us, this was a great way to get into the Halloween spirit and we look forward to going back next year. If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy Fall at night, try these ideas:

York Durham Heritage Railway Halloween Dinner Train (Oct 31 only)

• For adults, take a spooky train ride for a dusky view of the Ontario scenery. Come in costume.

Scandinave Spa (9am - 9pm daily)

• Again, adults only, but for a relaxing view of the Fall foliage, take a daytrip to Blue Mountain for some relaxation in the outdoor Nordic pools.

Astronomy Night at David Dunlop Observatory

• Enjoy some stargazing and learn about the majesty of the cosmos. Time and availability can vary.