Family Activities
Jack-O-Lanterns Among the Trees at Stage Nature Center 2026: A Family Halloween Walk in Troy
Stage Nature Center in Troy hosts Jack-O-Lanterns Among the Trees on October 24, 2026, an evening walk along the Sugar Maple trail lined with carved pumpkins, with two sessions to choose from.
This event has taken place. This post is kept for reference and is marked as past so families are not misled by outdated dates.
Jack-O-Lanterns Among the Trees takes place Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Stage Nature Center at 6685 Coolidge Highway in Troy, and the premise is simple: a wooded trail lined with carved pumpkins, glowing after dark. Two sessions are offered, from 4 to 6 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m., so families can choose a kids-friendly early walk or a later one.
The walk follows the Sugar Maple loop, and the carved pumpkins along the route are what give the event its name. The Troy Nature Society hosts the event and handles registration, with details posted through its site at stagenaturecenter.org and the society's registration platform.
Pricing from the official registration lists $18 for teens and adults who are not members, $8 for children ages 4 through 12, free for children under 4, and $16 for Troy Nature Society members. Families who want to carve a pumpkin before the walk can also attend a separate carving session on Friday, October 23, from 4 to 8:30 p.m., offered for an additional fee through the same registration.
For families considering Troy as a place to live, the event is a good example of how the city's recreation system keeps seasonal programming going for young children well beyond the summer. The short evening format means little ones can experience a Halloween trail and still get home at a reasonable hour.
Because the sessions have registration limits in a small outdoor setting, booking ahead through the nature society is the reliable way to hold a spot, and any weather-related changes will be posted there as well.
Sources: Troy Nature Society official event registration, Stage Nature Center (stagenaturecenter.org), Troy Recreation (rec.troymi.gov). Information verified October 1, 2026.