They’re back!

After an absence of five years, with a brief appearance at McCoy Stadium, John Rekner’s Jack-O-Lantern Special returns to the Roger Williams Park Zoo for what promises to be a truly spectacular exhibit.

We caught a preview last week, as volunteers and staff were putting on the final touches of the exhibit, which runs along the Wetlands Trail, presenting an eerie walk through the woods, with the Laughing Tree in the background and 20-30 carvers working day and night to bring you over 500 pumpkins on display. With a lifespan of five days, that figures out to 10,000 to 15,000 pumpkins.

While most of the pumpkins are grown in the area, some had to be brought in from outside New England due to the light crop resulting from the rainy summer.

This year there is a special emphasis on writers throughout history, including Edgar Allen Poe and Washington Irving. The theme is carried out from The Iliad to Harry Potter.

On an eerie note, there will be a celebrity cemetery. With so many celebrities passing on this year, it promises to be large.

The carving team started working in September and they were still busy two days before the opening, putting finishing touches on some of the more elaborate carvings. The biggest challenge is taking in all of the intricate designs that fill the spaces along the trail,and even out on the pond.

We saw a preview on a moonlit night, with music in the background and elaborate lighting.

Watch for the Brothers Grimm, a variety of special TV characters and many related to Halloween. Cornstalks, frogs, water fountains and a few surprises also greet you along the way.

Figure on at least an hour to take it all in. The exhibit is open from 6-11 p.m., with the last ticket being sold at 10:30. And be sure to bring your camera. P.R. Associate Benjamin Sibielski of Cranston told us that the money raised from the event will be used to further the many educational programs at the zoo and special projects that benefit all who visit one of the finest small zoos in the country. He also said that the pumpkins are recycled after the event and used for much-needed compost.

The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular is open every evening, rain or shine, until Nov. 1. Tickets are $12, $10 for seniors and $9 for children 3-12. There are also special contests, events and entertainment going on every evening. Look for Marvelous Marvin, Kaleidoscope Theatre, Festival Ballet, Traveling Theatre and others.