Artists carve 5,000 pumpkins at Minnesota Zoo this Halloween

Gomez Addams of “The Addams Family” passionately kisses his wife Morticia’s hand.

Their moment of bliss is captured forever on the surface of a giant pumpkin ― or at least until the gourd rots in a week and needs to be replaced.

This pumpkin and 5,000 more light up at the Minnesota Zoo’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. The winding trails create a mystical, illuminating journey through the woods. This year’s theme “What Goes Bump in the Night” is divided into 15 spooky fun sections including celebrations, scary movies and nocturnal animals.

“It’s not dirty, it’s not crunchy ― it’s a pleasant walk,” said visitor Kristin Anderson of St. Paul. “This is so perfect because it’s a little spooky but it’s not scary-scary.”

Anderson has come with her husband Steven and son Nicholas, 12, since the event started seven years ago. This year, Nicholas wants to see a pumpkin with Godzilla.

Twenty artists make 7,000 pumpkins throughout the five-week run. At any given time, 5,000 light up the one-way trail, including some artificial ones in difficult-to-reach locations.

Big pumpkins take up to 20 hours to carve. They’re covered with intricate designs like skeleton versions of “The Simpsons” on a couch, a heavy metal collage, Prince, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and pop sensation Taylor Swift.

If the fall weather behaves, pumpkins can last seven or eight days on the trail.

“If it goes below freezing or it’s too moist or too wet, or too humid, they won’t last as long,” said pumpkin carver Ethan Yang. “There’s a lot of conditions playing into factor with a pumpkin life.”

There are about 100 larger pumpkins with intricate designs. Ten to 20 of those are replaced every day. Thousands of smaller classic jack-o’-lanterns decorate the trail, with 50-200 replaced every day.

Farmington-based Crazy Legs Farm supplies the pumpkins. The parent company Passion for Pumpkins produces this event, which also has pumpkin shows in Kentucky and Rhode Island.

The fresh pumpkins with new designs get cycled out and refreshed every week.

Emily Bader, who uses they/them pronouns, carved a rendering of Morticia Addams into a giant pumpkin. It’s their third year carving pumpkins. When they’re not outside carving, they’re teaching art.

“This is Gomez and Morticia Addams, and they’re in love,” Bader said.

They projected the design onto the pumpkin, drew it on with a permanent marker, and then started chipping away at the pumpkin’s surface.

Artist Brandie Hanson carved an image of Elvis into a pumpkin.

“You wanna look for [an image] that has good lighting,” said Hanson, who has been carving for seven years. “You’ve got mid-tones and darks, and it doesn’t really pop until you start putting in your light.”

Hanson dug into Elvis’ hair with a carving tool, making slashes that became hair highlights. Bits of orange pumpkin skin fell to the floor.

On a chilly Saturday evening, visitors oohed and ahhed at the pumpkins on the trail.

Drew Atwood of Minneapolis loved the octopus in the section “Mysteries of the Deep Dark Sea.” Atwood’s husband had wanted to go for years. This year, they made it.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” he said.

When: Ends Nov. 2

Hours: 6-9:30 p.m. Sun.-Thu., 6-10:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat., adult night on Oct. 31.

Cost: $23-$30 adults, $19-$25 kids and 65-plus, $45 adults on Oct. 31, $10 parking.