Celebrate Halloween with one of Dayton’s most magical traditions

The Stoddard Ave Pumpkin Glow in Grafton Hill.

Credit: Teesha Mcclam

Credit: Teesha Mcclam

The Stoddard Ave Pumpkin Glow in Grafton Hill.

The sight of 1,000 intricately carved pumpkins glowing on a hillside is pure Halloween magic.

If you haven’t witnessed Dayton’s beloved tradition, the Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow, your chance is coming up.

The Dayton community came together to carve over one thousand pumpkins for this year's annual Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow. You can bask in the glow of these pumpkins near the Dayton Art Institute and Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church on Oct. 30-31. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

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Credit: Tom Gilliam

On Oct. 28 and 29 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. the hill behind Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 500 Belmonte Park North, will be blanketed with a maze of gleaming gourds. The event is free to the public.

>> Get your full forecast for the Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow from our weather partners at WHIO.com

 

“The Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow is a unique event for the Dayton community and we are excited to host it in again in our neighborhood this year,” John Edinger, president of the Grafton Hill Association, said in a release.

Food trucks including Zombie Dogz, El Meson, The Family Bean Coffee Truck and Urban BBQ will be at the event and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church will serve apple cider and loukoumades, Greek honey balls usually only available at the Greek Festival.

The  Stoddard Ave Pumpkin Glow in Grafton Hill.

Credit: Teesha Mcclam

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Credit: Teesha Mcclam

Parking will be available around the church, the Dayton Art Institute and in the Grafton Hill neighborhood. Stoddard Avenue will be closed for pedestrians.

Judith Chaffin, known as the “The Pumpkin Lady,” began the Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow in Dayton’s Grafton Hill neighborhood in 1994. She died last December. To help celebrate her legacy the community can gather to gut and carve the pumpkins for display.

Cutline: Approximately 800 uniquely carved jack'o-lanterns on the hill behind the Greek Orthodox Church in the historic Grafton Hill neighborhood attracted hundreds of visitors Friday, Oct. 30. The Pumpkin Glow continues on Saturday evening, Oct. 31.

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HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Volunteers are needed for gutting, tracing and carving on Thursday, Oct. 24, Friday, Oct. 25, Saturday Oct. 26 and Sunday Oct. 27. Pumpkin gutting will be held on Thursday and carving will be held the rest of the week.

>> The Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow needs your help

Volunteer can sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4BAAA92BA1FC1-2019 

To help feed volunteers a food donation sign up is here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4BAAA92BA1FC1-2019

HOW TO GO

What: Stoddard Avenue Pumpkin Glow

When: Oct. 28 and 29 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: The hill behind Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 500 Belmonte Park North

More info: Facebook

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