The countdown is on! In two week, Descanso Gardens welcomes guests back for Carved, its annual fall tradition, running October 2 through November 1, 2026. Expect the season’s signature glow: hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns, oversized carved pumpkins, and immersive lighting throughout the Garden, alongside longtime favorites and a standout new addition.
New this year, Carved welcomes celebrated Helsinki-based artist Alexander Reichstein, whose intricately built wire sculptures will populate the Garden’s labyrinth.
“We could not be more excited to welcome Alexander Reichstein to Descanso Gardens this year,” said Juliann Rooke, Chief Executive Officer of Descanso Gardens. “His sculptures are extraordinarily intricate up close, built by hand from wire, one delicate line at a time. They’re lovely to walk through in daylight, and after dark, when they’re fully illuminated against the Garden, they’re nothing short of spectacular.”
A Season of Familiar Favorites
As evening sets in, the Garden’s paths come alive with lit jack-o’-lanterns, oversized hand-carved pumpkins, and art installations tucked around every bend. The Pumpkin Forest and Harvest Acres return with new touches, and the Descanso Railroad gets its seasonal lighting treatment once again. Chainsaw Jenna’s log sculptures, ghosts and witches carved from massive logs, are back once more, and Bobolito’s Rhizome, a longtime crowd pleaser, relocates this year to the more dramatic backdrop of the Oak Grove.
For the first time, Carved will also host a Halloween-night Trick-or-Treat event on October 31, included with regular admission for that evening.
A U.S. First: Alexander Reichstein’s Luminous Figures
Reichstein, born in Moscow and based in Helsinki since 1990, is internationally recognized for immersive light art built from galvanized wire and coated in UV-reactive paint, work that has appeared in parks, gardens, and museums across Finland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and beyond. His pieces have earned him some of Finland’s top artistic honors, including the Finnish State Prize.
For Carved, Reichstein’s figures add a special touch to Descanso’s labyrinth, hand-formed from wire into ethereal, life-sized silhouettes. By day, the sculptures reveal the fine craftsmanship of their construction; by night, they glow softly against the Garden’s landscape, appearing almost to float in the darkness. More information on the artist is available at reichstein.name.
Event Details
- Dates: October 2 – November 1, 2026
- Anytime Tickets: $65 for members, $85 for non-members. This flexible, date-free option lets guests lock in a price now and pick their evening later.
- Timed Tickets: $22–$45 for member adults, $12–$30 for member children; $29–$52 for non-member adults, $19–$37 for non-member children, depending on the date and time selected. Children 2 and under are free but still require a ticket.
- Advance purchase is required at descansogardens.org.
Guests should plan ahead: dates fill up, the event proceeds regardless of weather, and once purchased, tickets can’t be exchanged or refunded.
