Spotlight: Pumpkins and the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon

On the evenings of October 18th and 19th from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., over 2000 jack-o-lanterns will light the area around the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon in Washington Park during the annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. The jack-o-lantern, the familiar carved pumpkin lantern associated with Halloween, takes its name from Irish folklore. According to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, in the early 1600s in rural Ireland, the legend of Stingy Jack became intertwined with the naturally occurring phenomenon of marsh gas. Atmospheric ghost lights observed by nighttime travelers over bogs or marshes came to be known as will-o-the-wisps or jack-o-lanterns. According to Irish legend, Stingy Jack was a drunk and deceiver. Due to his sinful ways and several tricks he played on the Devil, when he died Jack was not allowed to enter either Heaven or Hell but was doomed to wander the Earth for all eternity with only an ember in a carved turnip to light his way. The travelers believed the flickering lights they saw over the marshes were glimpses of Stingy Jack and his turnip lantern. History.com reports that people in Ireland and Scotland began carving scary faces into turnips and placing them in their windows and near their doors to frighten off evil spirits, including Stingy Jack. Immigrants brought these traditions with them to the United States, where they found pumpkins, a crop that was plentiful, larger, and easier to carve than root vegetables.

The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular has become an October tradition for many area families. In addition to the illuminated jack-o-lanterns, the event includes carillon music, lighting, sound effects, and food vendors. Organizers estimate that 5,000 to 8,000 people attend each year. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children ages 4-11. Children aged 3 & under are free. Discounted advance tickets ($7 for adults and $5 for children ages 4-11) can be purchased by cash or check at several Springfield businesses. New this year is a Sensory Friendly Hour from 5-6 pm on October 18 (advance registration/tickets are required). Community members are invited to personally participate in the event by carving their own pumpkins during the Carve for the Carillon, held October 12th and 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or until pumpkins run out. The Carve is a free event, but donations are always welcomed. While pumpkins are provided, individuals participating in the Carve should bring their own carving supplies.

The Spectacular is a fundraiser for the Thomas Rees Memorial Carillon, a unique piece of Springfield history. The carillon, which consists of 67 cast bronze bells covering a range of 5 1/2 chromatic octaves housed in a 132 foot tower, is one of the largest carillons in the world. It is played manually by a carillonneur by way of a keyboard located in the carillonneur’s cabin. Thomas Rees was born in May 1850 in Pennsylvania and died September 9, 1933 in Springfield, Illinois. Rees along with 2 partners purchased the Illinois State Register in 1881. Rees served as the newspaper’s publisher from 1881 to 1933. Rees, a Democrat, also served one term as an Illinois State Senator, from 1902-1906. Rees was married two times, but both of his wives predeceased him and he had no surviving children. When he died Rees left $200,000 to the Springfield Park District to build a carillon. Rees had visited carillons in Belgium and the Netherlands when traveling, and his bequest came with very specific instructions regarding the design of the carillon, including the number of bells. While the project was delayed several times, including during World War II, by 1959, the Park Board, headed by Board President Robert Stuart, gave life to Rees’ vision. The carillon, which was built by Jones-Blythe Construction Company, was dedicated in 1962.

To learn more about the Carillon and these great upcoming events, please visit https://carillon-rees.org.