LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Halloween has come and gone, but the Jack O' Lantern Spectacular had some special visitors Saturday. The massive jack-o'-lantern display at Iroquois Park didn't look like it usually does, however, and that was perfectly fine by those who were there.
Saturday marked the Jack O' Lantern Spectacular's first "sensory night," which accommodated those with autism and sensory processing disorders. The bright lights, fog machines and loud noises were gone. Instead, the two-hour event was held during the afternoon, while the pumpkins and pathways were still illuminated by daylight.
"It's not the middle of the night, where it's dark and there are loud noises and spooky music," said Bo Gay, who took his autistic son, Brody, to the event.
The Louisville Parks Foundation teamed up with PNC Bank to sponsor the extra two hours before the nighttime crowds were invited in. Not only did some guests find the display easier on the senses, but Lynn Schwab and her son, Ryan, who has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair, found it easier to move around than the often-crowded, dark pathways.
Saturday marked the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular's first "sensory night," which accommodated those with autism and sensory processing disorders.
"Oh, I love it. All the pumpkins and the trees," Schwab said. "Yeah, this is really neat. (Ryan's) enjoying it, too."
The Parks Foundation told WDRB News it has been working for a couple years to create an evening dedicated to those with special needs and sensory processing differences. Sensory night will now become an annual event.
Saturday marked the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular's first "sensory night," which accommodated those with autism and sensory processing disorders.
Sunday marks the final night of the Jack O' Lantern Spectacular's 2019 season. More than 92,000 people attended in the 27 days it was open.
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