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This little village in Ontario has twinkling train rides and pumpkin-filled streets
Be sure to visit after dark. 🎃
@pumpkinferno | Instagram, Courtesy of Pumpkinferno
If you're looking for a fall outing that feels like stepping into a Halloween storybook, there's a little village in Ontario that offers glowing pumpkins, historic streets and magical autumn nights that needs to be on your radar.
Just over an hour from Ottawa, you can visit an enchanting outdoor experience where handcrafted illuminated pumpkins and large-than-life creations transform the night.
Set in the Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Pumpkinferno is a classic Halloween tradition that brings thousands of illuminated pumpkins to life after dark.
The Upper Canada Village is one of Canada’s largest and most immersive living-history destinations, home to more than 40 carefully preserved and reconstructed buildings, where you can step into the past and see what daily life looked like in a rural English Canadian community.
Come October, the historic village transforms into a spectacular display of more than 7,000 jack-o'-lanterns for the popular Pumpkinferno, becoming a glowing wonderland with creative pumpkin sculptures, themed displays and plenty of spooky-season fun.
Instead of traditional rows of carved pumpkins, the outdoor event features thousands of pumpkins arranged into intricate illuminated displays.
The pumpkins you’ll see at PumpkInferno aren't your average jack-o’-lanterns – they’re actually hand-carved artificial pumpkins, each moulded into the shape of a spooky face or scene.
As you make your way through the historic village, you'll encounter colourful installations and creative scenes that range from whimsical to wonderfully eerie.
The displays are designed to be enjoyed after dark, when the glowing pumpkins stand out against the night sky and the village's historic buildings add to the atmosphere.
The pumpkin displays also change every year -- this year's Pumpkinferno features several new exhibits, including a "Village Grand Prix," a sweet, candy-filled wonderland, and a world of larger-than-life jungle creatures.
The experience takes about 1 hour to complete, though visitors are welcome to spend as much time as they like admiring the pumpkin creations.
Along the way, you'll be able to experience the village's interactive zone, where you can snap some photos, play some games, and soak up the Pumpkinferno magic.
You can even hop on board a life-sized, brightly lit toy train for a short ride through the village that even includes a photo stop.
The night will also include a sound and light show as hundreds of colourful lights dance in sync with Ladies of the 80’s tunes, creating a magical scene that you can't help but dance and sing along to.
If you work up an appetite, you can stop at Willard’s Hotel, the Harvest Barn, the on-site BeaverTails, the Village Café or Cauldron Corner for classic fall treats, bites and warm drinks.
Be sure to bring your camera, as the glowing installations provide plenty of opportunities for festive photos. Just remember to dress for the weather, since you'll be spending much of your visit outdoors and the event takes place during rain or shine.
Pumpkinferno runs on select nights until October 31, 2026, with different opening times depending on the date. General admission costs $23 plus tax for adults, $22 for seniors and $21 for students and children aged five to 18. Admission is free for children aged four and under.
Whether you're going for the glowing pumpkin sculptures, the twinkling train ride or just want to embrace spooky season, this historic Ontario village offers a fall outing that's full of charm (and pumpkins).
Pumpkinferno
Price: $23 per adult
When: Select nights until October 31, 2026
Address: 13740 County Rd 2, Morrisburg, ON
Why You Need To Go: You can visit an incredible outdoor attraction at this historic village near Ottawa with thousands of glowing pumpkins and large-than-life structures that's like something out of a Halloween storybook.
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B.C. ballet school founder guilty of sex charges involving teenage student
B.C. ballet school founder guilty of sex charges
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
The founder of a ballet school in Greater Victoria has been found guilty of two sexual offences over his relationship with a 15-year-old student.
David Beales was originally charged with sexual interference, sexual exploitation and making sexually explicit material available to the girl, but he was found not guilty of the third charge.
His British Columbia Supreme Court trial in Victoria heard Beales operated the Maple Leaf School of Russian Ballet, first meeting the girl when she was nine, and she idolized him as she dreamt of becoming a professional dancer.
The B.C. Supreme Court decision released this week says that when the girl's parents forbade her to return to the school, Beales suggested a scholarship arrangement in which she no longer had to pay tuition or attendance fees.
The girl told the court she became pregnant by Beales and had a miscarriage in the summer of 2020, before her Grade 11 year, and dropped out of school shortly afterwards.
In finding him guilty of the two charges, Justice Liliane Bantourakis ruled Beales was not a credible witnesses, while the girl's testimony was reliable and the Crown's evidence met the burden of proving the charges against the man.
The judge found Beales' control and influence over the girl, identified as E.R. in the decision, were enhanced by her vulnerability and isolation.
The ruling says he had significant control over the teen, at least until the school closed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020, but their sexual relationship lasted until 2022.
"He was, as she described, the keeper of the information for her future career and she idolized him, thinking of him as above other people. E.R.'s dream of being a professional dancer and the role Mr. Beales played relative to that dream are significant."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Author Steven Galloway concludes testimony at Vancouver defamation trial
Galloway wraps testimony at defamation trial
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Author and former University of British Columbia creative writing chair Steven Galloway has concluded testifying in his defamation lawsuit trial in Vancouver.
Galloway, who alleges the defendants defamed him by publishing unproven allegations of sexual assault, took questions from Glynnis Kirchmeier, a defendant in the case who is representing herself and attending the trial remotely.
The former UBC student pressed Galloway about whether he believed she had been involved with an advocacy group for victims of sexual violence and harassment, and had also contacted other defendants, including A.B., another former student who made the allegations against Galloway.
Galloway says he found it "unlikely" Kirchmeier wasn't involved with the group because she was on one of its fundraising pages, and he recalled becoming nauseated about one of her Tweets, and wondering "why is this person I’ve never met calling me a rapist?"
The court heard during the brief hearing in B.C. Supreme Court on Thursday that the next witness is expected to be Ronna Syed, a producer for the CBC program the "Fifth Estate."
Galloway, who has been testifying since last week, said earlier in the trial that Syed was the first journalist to call him after the allegations surfaced, and says he told her "no comment."
Galloway filed the defamation lawsuit in 2018 but several defendants have settled with him and published public apologies.
The author of "The Cellist of Sarajevo" alleges his career was destroyed by the allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he denies and were found unsubstantiated in a report by a former B.C. Supreme Court judge.
The court heard last week that A.B.'s defence no longer includes an assertion she was assaulted by Galloway, but rather that she reported the alleged assaults.
Galloway has testified he felt ashamed at having an affair with A.B., who cannot be named due to a publication ban, but there was no prohibition on sexual relationships between faculty and students at UBC and he knew of "numerous" other examples.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2026.
By Darryl Greer | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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