Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt & Halloween Haunt, Mukwonago

October 17 @ 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm

$2 – $3

Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt & Halloween Haunt, Mukwonago is BACK in 2026!! The Jaunt/Haunt returns to Field Park in Mukwonago as in years past on Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17 from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm each day.

Returning for its 23rd run, the Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt/Halloween Haunt has grown to be the communities premier family event of the season. Organizers have expanded the attractions in the park over the years, opting for decorations that are suitable for even the youngest visitors.

In 2003, the Red Brick Museum was in need of a new roof. Joline Palatino came up with the the idea of placing lit Jack-O-Lanterns in Field Park in Mukwonago. So with the help of her sister, Linda Forster, husbands and children, the Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt was born. Stands were made for the pumpkins to sit on and a couple of blow-ups were purchased. With the help of the Mukwonago High School PTG selling items for their own fund raising, and a very wet Friday evening, The Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt had its humble beginnings.

Since its inception, the Jaunt has kept its admission prices low as to encourage large families to attend. Even with these low prices, the Jaunt has donated thousands of dollars to local charities. This year proceeds will go to the Mukwonago Community Library renovation. Annual visits have grown by more than 60% since 2020 and the use of the meeting rooms has nearly doubled since 2019. They are proactively responding to these changes across the entire building. A redesigned park entrance with family restrooms will welcome families who flock to the park behind the library. A larger Metaspace 511 will give the popular makerspace room to grow. New teen and children’s areas, additional study, meeting rooms, and improved staff spaces are part of the renovation.

Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt & Halloween Haunt, Mukwonago Ticket Fees

Adults: $3.00

Kids 12 and under: $2.00

Babies: Free

They accept cash, credit, debit and Venmo

Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt & Halloween Haunt, Mukwonago Details

For 2 nights, the paths of the park will be lit up by hundreds of carved pumpkins. Local businesses, groups, organizations and individuals supply the jack-o-lanterns and create the displays. Anyone is welcome to bring carved pumpkins on October 18 from

Noon to 5 p.m. Tea lights will be provided but everyone is asked to set up their own display. If you wish to keep your pumpkin display, please pick it up at 9:30 P.M. SHARP!!

The Jaunt/Haunt will proceed rain or shine, so dress accordingly.

Rotary Club Halloween Haunt:

The venue is family friendly; it is the first haunted house a lot of the little ones go to. This year, the Halloween Haunt will feature a haunted forest, complete with scary occupants that live there.

Walk in Movie:

Writer/Director Christopher R. Mihm takees a stab (pun intended) at anthology movie in the vein of “Twilight Zone: The Movie”, “Trilogy of Terror” and “Creepshow”, albiet in his signature retro-B-movie style! In a series of linked, short tales-of-horror, an unmanned spacecraft returning from the asteroid Vesta breaks up on re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere and scatters sample containers across Phantom Lake County! Not-so-unexpectedly (particularly for a Mihmverse movie), contact with the mysterious otherworldly contents of these canisters, create a whole host of terrifying creatures – like mushroom monsters, killer garden gnomes, and more! Can the local population survive such shocking encounters, or will this be the end of all life in Phantom Lake County?

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About:

The Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt was started in 2003 by Joline Palatino and Linda Forster, local sisters who wanted to raise money to replace the roof on the Red Brick Museum in Mukwonago. The Jaunt later teamed up with the Rotary Club of Mukwonago’s Halloween Haunt. Together the events have raised thousands of dollars for many causes in the area.

*Please dress for the weather as the event will not be cancelled due to rain.