The 2026 event runs nightly from Thursday, October 1 through Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Jack’s Lantern Trail is located in the woods behind the Iroquois Amphitheater at Iroquois Park in Louisville, Kentucky. The entrance to Jack’s Lantern Trail is the amphitheater entrance and the exact address is 1080 Amphitheater Rd, Louisville, KY 40214. Please use this address in GPS. Simply searching for Iroquois Park may take you to multiple wrong locations.

The trail opens when it’s dark enough for visitors to enjoy. The first timed entry slot from Oct 1 through Oct 8 is 7:00pm.  From Oct 9 through Nov 1 (when it begins getting dark earlier) it is 6:30pm. Depending on weather and daylight hours, trail entry may begin between 6:50pm and 7:30pm. The exact trail entry time is determined each night to ensure visitors have an ideal viewing experience of the illuminated jack o’lanterns.

On a busy night, when the line through the Iroquois Amphitheater is adjusted to accommodate more people, the distance from the amphitheater entrance to the entrance to Jack’s Lantern Trail is approximately 1/3 mile. The trail loop itself is between a 1/4 mile and 1/3 mile. The trail is estimated to take an average of 35 to 45 minutes to complete.

The time on your ticket is the start of the 1-hour time slot during which you will enter the Amphitheater.Guests can choose from several 1-hour time slots to view the show, except for the final time slot each day. The final slot on Sunday through Thursday enters the Amphitheater between 9:30pm and 10:00pm (when the gate closes), and the final slot on Friday and Saturday enters between 10:30pm and 11:00pm (when the gate closes). It is recommended you purchase your tickets in advance as time slots will sell out.Sunday-Thursday6:30pm (Oct 9-Nov 1)7:00pm (Oct 1-8) 7:30pm8:30pm9:30pmFriday & Saturday6:30pm (Oct 9-Nov 1)7:00pm (Oct 1-8) 7:30pm8:30pm9:30pm10:30pm​PLEASE NOTE: We may hold the first time slot at the entrance to the trail until it gets dark enough to enjoy the pumpkins in their full glory.

Yes, the time on your ticket is when your line begins to enter the Amphitheater. Depending on the night, we can have several hundred people with that timed ticket entry time, so where you are in the line will impact when you enter the Amphitheater. Please expect an additional 30-45 minutes to reach the trail entrance.

Yes! Tickets can be purchased in person at the Iroquois Amphitheater Box Office without online ticketing fees. The box office is open Thursdays from 1–6 p.m. and Fridays from 11 AM – 4 PM

The Iroquois Park Amphitheater gate closes at 10:00pm Sundays through Thursdays, and 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests who are inside the Amphitheater at that time will still have access to Jack’s Lantern Trail.

Parking is free and available at the Iroquois Amphitheater, located at:1080 Amphitheater Rd Louisville, KY 40214Free golf cart shuttles run all evening for guests parked farther away from the entrance or needing assistance.Additional parking and shuttles are available via TARC Route 4. New Cut Peddlers Mall is conveniently located along TARC Route 4, making it a great place to park your vehicle and continue your trip by transit. Your Jack’s Lantern Trail ticket is your TARC bus pass! Simply show your valid Jack’s Lantern Trail ticket to the TARC driver when you board Route 4. No additional fare is required.

Guests requiring wheelchair assistance will have access to parking near the Amphitheater Box Office. A valid parking permit is required. For drop-offs near the Amphitheater entrance, a wheelchair ramp can be found behind the Amphitheater Box Office.The trail surface is composed of compacted, crushed limestone for easier mobility, but does feature several steep slopes.On busy Friday and Saturday nights when a longer line is expected, reserving scooter battery life while in line is advised.

For the safety and wellbeing of Jack, his cast of characters, our guests, and your pets, only service animals are allowed on the trail.

Photos and video recordings are encouraged throughout Jack’s Lantern Trail, though tripods and flash photography are not permitted.

This year’s theme, Woods of Wonder, invites guests to wander through an enchanted forest where a new surprise awaits around every bend. Discover a whimsical woodland village, prehistoric dinosaurs, captivating creatures, musical skeletons, and thousands of intricately carved jack-o’-lanterns, all brought to life in a one-of-a-kind adventure.

They are replaced approximately every 3 to 7 days, depending on weather conditions.

The over 5,000 pumpkins used for Jack’s Lantern Trail are provided by the event’s producer, Jack O’Lantern Journey. The prize winner pumpkins, which we call “art fruit” are purchased from a Kentucky Proud farmer and are hand-carved by local artists. We have more than 25 new and returning local artists.

After parking at the Iroquois Park Amphitheater, make your way to the ticket plaza and follow the signs for "Get To The Glow"!

Jack’s Lantern Trail is a rain-or-shine event. In the event of severe or dangerous weather conditions, the trail may be delayed or closed to ensure the safety of our guests, staff, volunteers, and artists.If Jack’s Lantern Trail is required to close due to weather conditions, tickets purchased can be exchanged for any remaining show night for this season. Any weather-related updates, delays, or closures will be communicated through our Facebook and Instagram.

All ticket sales are final and non-refundable. If you’re unable to attend on your selected date, you may exchange your tickets at the box office for another available date. If you exchange for a higher-priced ticket date, you’ll be responsible for the difference in price. If you exchange for a lower-priced ticket date, the difference will not be refunded.

If the show does not open due to dangerous weather conditions, Ticketmaster will refund your tickets. Please allow 24-48 hours for the refund to be issued.