In the weeks leading up to Halloween, many people in the South Shore community love to participate in spooky and festive activities. One tradition that proves to be very popular is pumpkin carving. On October 24 and 25, the New England Wildlife Center held its annual Night of a Thousand Faces event, which brought residents from Braintree, Weymouth, Quincy, Hingham, and other South Shore towns together to participate in the pumpkin carving tradition and create a display for other community members to enjoy. 

“The best part about this event is that it’s an event for the community, by the community,” said Zak Mertz, the CEO of the New England Wildlife Center. “A lot of the people that you see here tonight, of which we probably have about 1,500 tonight so far, have actually carved the pumpkins, and so they’re actually walking through, trying to spot their pumpkin or their friend’s pumpkin, and it makes it an extra fun layer to the event.”

This event was the twenty-third annual Night of a Thousand Faces. A lot can be expected to change in that amount of time, including the popularity of the event, the participation, and even the expression of the artists.

“If you look back at the pictures, you can kind of see how popular culture has changed. When I was in high school, I saw a lot of Britney Spears pumpkins, and two years ago, there were a lot of Taylor Swift pumpkins. This year we’re seeing a lot of the number six seven carved in things, and we’re seeing a lot of things about the election. So it’s sort of like a time capsule for local history,” Mertz added.

With not one, but two thousand pumpkins along the nature trail this year, and other amusements such as concessions, live music, and even mimes, the event provided an opportunity for the community to come together and people of all ages to enjoy some festive fun.

“There were a lot of conceptual pumpkins that really expanded my mind,” commented Eli Boericke, a Braintree High student who attended the event. “I think it’s a really good concept and I hope they continue doing this.”