At this guerrilla art pumpkin patch, you can carve your own free jack-o’-lanterns
The knives were stabbing and the guts were flowing Wednesday night at Titlow Beach. No blood was shed, though. Just a lot of pumpkin innards.
As Nora Engel, 8, was designing and directing her father, Scott Engel, did the cutting and entrails dumping. The pair were carving a jack-o'-lantern at community artist John James Nelson's fourth annual Titlow Pumpkin Patch.
Nelson is the man behind the TACOMA sign made up of individual letters attached to off shore pilings at Tacoma's Titlow Beach. Local municipal and government agencies look the other way as he installs and sets up his popular guerrilla art projects, which have quickly become iconic.
"I got this," Nora told her dad as she returned to a Roblox-themed design for her pumpkin. "You got this," he said, taking a step back.
Pandemic born
Like so many events, the Titlow Pumpkin Patch started in 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nelson said. The outdoor area offered a safer place for Halloween festivities.
"Then I just haven't stopped it since," he said.
The event keeps getting bigger, he said. About 175 pumpkins were carved in 2023. He expects more this year.
The pumpkins are free, Nelson said. They are donated by local pumpkin growers.
He supplies the carving tools at a table under a rain cover outside The Beach Tavern. When the pumpkins are carved, they're added to a growing display on a traffic circle, just across the street. Nelson provides each jack-o'-lantern with electric lights. The tavern supplies the power.
Scary eyes
While Autumn Clowers of Tacoma was waiting for her boyfriend and his child to arrive Wednesday evening, she got started carving her jack-o'-lantern.
"I usually do a big gnarly mouth and some scary eyes," she said.
It's the mix of kids and adults that delights Nelson and keeps him motivated. Plus the smiles, reaction and gratitude he receives.
"I'm making that impact that really makes me satisfied and feel happy," he said. "This is something that I can look forward to every year."
The Titlow Pumpkin Patch operates on Wednesdays (5-7 p.m.) and Saturdays and Sundays (Noon-5 p.m.) through Oct. 30.
