Lights Out Halloween Display Wows Visitors at Sharon Audubon Center’s ‘Pumpkin Trail’!

A “Lights Out!” display featuring migratory birds and starry skies carved into pumpkins in front of lit-up high-rise buildings is a show-stopper at this year’s annual ‘Pumpkin Trail’ event at Sharon Audubon Center. While visitors can view dozens of Halloween jack-o-lanterns lighting up the center grounds, few carry as important of a conservation message as the Lights Out display, which urges visitors to “Dim your lights for migrating birds!”  

The one-of-a-kind Halloween display was the brain child of Wendy Miller, the center’s Education Program Manager.

Wendy explained, “The idea came to mind when I decided to call our night time pumpkin event ‘Light the Night’ and I thought, “What a great opportunity to educate people about the Lights Out program!’ So, I spent a bit of time finding the right cardboard boxes and cutting out the windows and taping in the blinking lights, to make it look like lights being turned on and off.”

With nearly 1 billion birds killed every year in the United States from building collisions linked to light pollution, the display helps bring attention to a lesser known — but very scary! — problem happening in virtually everyone’s backyard: light pollution. The attractive display was designed to both wow the public and educate.

“A little farther down the trail, before the Lights Out exhibit, I had another display with glow in the dark stars on what was supposed to be the night sky, and a poster explaining how birds use the night sky to navigate, so the two displays were tied together nicely.”

One of the center’s volunteers, Scott Whalen, helps to run the annual program. He photographed the pumpkins and capture videos of the display. Scott said: “It’s a great event. We keep trying to grow it more.”

Wendy hopes to make the display a regular feature. “I would love to have a more permanent structure, made out of a more sturdy, more weather-resistant material,” she said.

We can’t wait to see what Wendy dreams up for next year!