MANIAC PUMPKIN CARVERS

We are a full creative arts studio, offering a wide variety of services to cover all your pumpkin carving needs.

As Seen on Shark Tank !

 

EVENTS

Marc and Chris carving a giant pumpkin at Luna Park, Coney Island NYC.Maniac is the perfect draw for your Fall events. Our artists excel at crowd engagement, offering entertaining demonstrations of their world renowned pumpkin carving skills. Fun an…

Marc and Chris carving a giant pumpkin at Luna Park, Coney Island NYC.

Maniac is the perfect draw for your Fall events. Our artists excel at crowd engagement, offering entertaining demonstrations of their world renowned pumpkin carving skills. Fun and captivating for audiences of all ages and demographics.

WORKS OF ART

Jose De Jesus Rodriguez' breathtaking reinterpretation of Caravaggio's MedusaWe love paying homage to our favorite classic and contemporary artists. Each year we immortalize a few of our favorite masters' works in pumpkin. Its always an awesome lear…

Jose De Jesus Rodriguez' breathtaking reinterpretation of Caravaggio's Medusa

We love paying homage to our favorite classic and contemporary artists. Each year we immortalize a few of our favorite masters' works in pumpkin. Its always an awesome learning experience to study a work of art so intimately, in order to reinterpret it for another medium.

CUSTOM WORK

Etching style portrait carving of David Bowie (on Xtra Large Pumpkin) by Chris SoriaWe have extensive experience carving all manner of requests. From corporate logos, to portraits, monsters, and artistic masterpieces. We will transform your ideas in…

Etching style portrait carving of David Bowie (on Xtra Large Pumpkin) by Chris Soria

We have extensive experience carving all manner of requests. From corporate logos, to portraits, monsters, and artistic masterpieces. We will transform your ideas into a reality. We also offer photography, video, and time-lapse services!

timelapsE VideoS

Time lapse and other video content are a great way to experience more of the magic behind Maniac Pumpkins.Check out a selection of our past time lapse videos or contact us to now to discuss booking a project. Our in house photographers can capture t…

Time lapse and other video content are a great way to experience more of the magic behind Maniac Pumpkins.

Check out a selection of our past time lapse videos or contact us to now to discuss booking a project. Our in house photographers can capture the pumpkin process, or our carvers can travel to your studio. Lets make some amazing content together!

CLASSES

Corporate team building activities are a blast when Maniac Pumpkins are involved!With years of art teaching experience across a variety of mediums, our artists will help you to improve your pumpkin carvings and unlock your inner creativity. Classes …

Corporate team building activities are a blast when Maniac Pumpkins are involved!

With years of art teaching experience across a variety of mediums, our artists will help you to improve your pumpkin carvings and unlock your inner creativity. Classes and activities can be adapted for artists at any skill level, from beginner to professional.

ADVERTISING

Chris Soria fine tuning a ride for BMW USA. Join our incredible list of clients and partnersOur pumpkin carvings make stunning images and captivating time-lapse videos. We make your advertisements shine. A great way to engage your audience or fan ba…

Chris Soria fine tuning a ride for BMW USA. Join our incredible list of clients and partners

Our pumpkin carvings make stunning images and captivating time-lapse videos. We make your advertisements shine. A great way to engage your audience or fan base in a fun and creative way. Our pumpkins frequently go viral on the web, appealing to people of all ages around the globe.

CUSTOM WORK

The possibilities are endless

 
Marc Evan, "Star Child 113" on XL pumpkin.

Marc Evan, "Star Child 113" on XL pumpkin.

Your vision will glow in a Maniac Pumpkin. Provide us with an image of your choice and our outstanding artists will turn it into a beautiful pumpkin carving. So many gourd-geous possibilities. We love a good challenge and we excel at impressing clients with our attention to detail. Whether you are looking for a unique gift or a fantastic way to engage an audience, a Maniac Pumpkin is sure to impress.

When seen in person our pumpkins are mesmerizing to people of all ages and demographics. And when featured online, our carvings often go viral, amassing great numbers of likes, shares, and engagement among followers.

For custom orders, email us with a detailed description plus any necessary images for us to be able to give you an estimate. Also please read our FAQ.

 
 
  • Logos & Branding

  • Portraits & Pets

  • Movie Posters & Album Art

  • Characters

  • Celebrities & Icons

  • Announcements

  • Monograms

  • Decorations & centerpieces

  • Unique gifts

  • Great form of promotion!

 

We also offer high resolution photography (work in progress or beauty shots) and time-lapse videos, documenting the creation of your pumpkin art. Be sure to inquire about pricing and availability.

PORTRAIT PUMPKINS

LIFE-LIKE REALISM, EXPERTLY CARVED

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We carve stunning portraits of your loved ones, your bosses, your clients, and your crushes. Provide us with high resolution images and we do the rest.  Which is, carve unbelievable portraits in real pumpkin like nobody else. It took many years to develop our methods of hand carving the portraits. The portrait carvings we create photograph gorgeously and can take on an almost holographic appearance when viewed in person. The effect is truly mesmerizing.

  • Professional Photo Services: Want a high resolution image of your pumpkin portrait? We offer professional photographic services. A beautifully captured photograph is the best way to preserve your pumpkin. You can choose how we shoot your pumpkin in a variety of different set ups to create a unique look. We can even create custom backdrops.

  • Time Lapse Photography: Our team can also document the making of your pumpkin with time lapse photography. You will be able to watch and share a unique memento; a digital video of your pumpkin portrait being carved. Videos can be formatted to your preferred file type. Perfect for any type of viewing from social media on mobile devices and desktops, or for streaming and TV. We make it easy to deliver high quality pumpkin content for whatever your needs! Contact us for pricing and availability.

Please note: Portraits can only be as good as the photographs you provide. Please make sure to provide us with high resolution and well lit, photographs. High contrast lighting typically looks best. We can assist in choosing a photo that will make a great carving.

LIVE CARVING EVENTS

DEMONSTRATIONS, ACTIVATIONS, & INSTALLATIONS

Chris and Marc carving a giant pumpkin for Luna Park, Coney Island.

Chris and Marc carving a giant pumpkin for Luna Park, Coney Island.

Activate your event with a demonstration by our expert carvers. Pumpkin carving is mesmerizing for crowds of all ages. While carving a beautiful display piece, or a huge installation, carvers will engage the audience, answering questions and offering tips & tricks for the crowds who attend.

We can tailor our demonstration to your event. Let us know if there is a particular theme for the event that we should try to incorporate into the pumpkin art.

Most demonstrations are between 2-6hrs. For giant pumpkins, 8hrs or more and multiple carvers can be necessary. Because of the limited number of pumpkins that can be carved on site, you can enhance your event by ordering any number of pre-carved pumpkins. This is a great way to add atmosphere, increase visibility, or to incorporate sponsor or brand logos. We typically carve within 24-36 hours of the event to ensure that our pumpkin display looks its best. 

Please Note: Maniac Pumpkin Carvers HQ just north of New York City, in Yonkers NY. We are available for travel to limited engagements outside the NY Tri-State area. Weekends in October fill fast. Please book early to ensure availability on your important dates!

Chris carving for Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Chris carving at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Chris and Justin carving at Southampton Septemberfest

Chris and Justin carving at Southampton Septemberfest

Chris and Jose carving pumpkins during a massive Times Square activation for Google Photos.

Chris and Jose carving pumpkins during a massive Times Square activation for Google Photos.

Nadia carving a Smoky Mountain themed installation during our residency at Dollywood

Nadia carving a Smoky Mountain themed installation during our residency at Dollywood

 
Pumpkin installation created by Marc and Chris for Best of the Best in Syracuse, NY.

Pumpkin installation created by Marc and Chris for Best of the Best in Syracuse, NY.

Marc carving in Central Park (photo credit: Lauren Gesswein)

Marc carving in Central Park (photo credit: Lauren Gesswein)

Chris and Marc with Robin Roberts, on Good Morning America.

Chris and Marc with Robin Roberts, on Good Morning America.

Marc and Chris carving at Martha Stewart Omnimedia.

Marc and Chris carving at Martha Stewart Omnimedia.

Chris and Marc at Luna Park, Coney Island

Chris and Marc at Luna Park, Coney Island

Lenny carving at Coney Island's Iconic Luna Park

Lenny carving at Coney Island's Luna Park

Maniac Pumpkin Carvers doing demos at Martha Stewarts American Made Festival in Grand Central Station, NYC.

Maniac Pumpkin Carvers doing demos at Martha Stewarts American Made Festival in Grand Central Station, NYC.

Marc carving at Dollywood

Marc carving at Dollywood

1000 pound giant pumpkin at Luna Park, Coney Island carved by Marc, Lenny, and Adan.

1000 pound giant pumpkin at Luna Park, Coney Island carved by Marc, Lenny, and Adan.

Personalized sugar pumpkin give aways at Halloween event in SoHo, NYC

Personalized sugar pumpkin give aways at Halloween event in SoHo, NYC

WEDDINGS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Beautiful and decorative. Perfect for any fall occasion.

Want a unique proposal? Have us carve it into a pumpkin.

Need decorations for your Fall wedding tables? Table Numbers, Monograms, and more. Pumpkins are always a welcome sight at Fall weddings. Carved pumpkins don't have to be scary. Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, and Good Housekeeping all come to Maniac when they need elegant Fall themed pumpkins and more. Maniac Pumpkin Carvers specialize in lettering, decorative, and floral designs. Send us your Save The Date, invites, or other important graphics, and we can incorporate them into the designs. We will coordinate with your wedding planner or florist to ensure that everything is perfect for your special day.  

White pumpkins and heirloom varieties depend on local availability and are frequently more difficult to source. Contact us for pricing and availability.

She said yes! We love when our pumpkins help bring people together.

She said yes! We love when our pumpkins help bring people together.

Please note: illuminated pumpkins require our LED plug in lights, or high lumen LED power battery packs. Please mention your preference when placing orders. 

 
 
Patterned heart with names.

Patterned heart with names.

Extra Large pumpkin with NYC Skyline with foliage.

Extra Large pumpkin with NYC Skyline with foliage.

Falling leaves, large decorate pumpkin.

Falling leaves, large decorate pumpkin.

We can carve a limited number of proposal pumpkins large enough to hide a champagne bottle inside.with lighting element.

We can carve a limited number of proposal pumpkins large enough to hide a champagne bottle inside.with lighting element.

"Just Married" sugar pumpkin for wedding photos.

"Just Married" sugar pumpkin for wedding photos.

Large Proposal pumpkin, with added graphics.

Large Proposal pumpkin, with added graphics.

Gustav Klimt's The Kiss or other famous works of art can be a beautiful addition to your celebration.

Gustav Klimt's The Kiss or other famous works of art can be a beautiful addition to your celebration.

XL decorative floral pumpkin as seen in our Martha Stewart Living feature.

XL decorative floral pumpkin as seen in our Martha Stewart Living feature.

Bride and Groom Silhouettes.

Bride and Groom Silhouettes.

Also great for birth announcements,anniversaries, birthdays, bar mitzvas and more.

Extra Large pumpkins can be carved and cleaned for baby photo shoots. (Babies not included)

Extra Large pumpkins can be carved and cleaned for baby photo shoots. (Babies not included)

Large pumpkin with names and decorative floral art.

Large pumpkin with names and decorative floral art.

Large pumpkin with text and graphics.

Large pumpkin with text and graphics.

Medium pumpkin with text.

Medium pumpkin with text.

 

ADVERTISING & CONTENT CREATION

Timelapse videos, Logos, Branding, Social Media & More

Maniac Pumpkin Carvers make brands shine. Attention to detail is one of our trademarks and we work hard to ensure your branding is faithfully represented. Logos and branding pumpkin carvings are a great way to advertise your company or engage with social media networks throughout the Fall season. Or use our portraits or characters to create content that people will want to share! Maniac can team with you to create stunning advertising campaigns and promotional videos.  With beautiful time-lapse photography or HD video, your fans and followers will get a glimpse into our process, watching our talented carvers, as we create works of art.

Contact us for a quote today!

PLEASE NOTE: Pumpkins are typically available from mid September to late November depending on the season.

For advertising, editorial, or other work that needs to be done further in advance we can be scheduled to carve in November and sometimes December, with the images being held until the following Fall season. Its never too early to get a jump on next year!

TIME-LAPSE VIDEOS

WATCH YOUR MASTERPIECE DEVELOP

 A great way to engage audiences is with time-lapses and other video content with our carvings. At our in house photo studio, we produce can ready-to-share videos, or we can deliver our beautiful HD footage for your editors to put the final touches on. We work with top brands and agencies to get eyes on your content with fun and creative Fall content. Collaborations with Maniac Pumpkin Carvers are always a hit. We would love to work with you.

Book early to ensure that we can accommodate your requests. It is also never too early to prepare for the following year.

Pumpkin are typically available September through November (while supplies last).

PHOTO & VIDEO SERVICES

THE best WAY TO PRESERVE A PUMPKIN

Chris Soria prepping for a shoot.

Chris Soria prepping for a shoot.

 Maniac Pumpkin Carvers offers in house photography services to make it easy for you to build a social media post or create a full ad campaign. Lit and glowing pumpkins are a difficult thing for even seasoned photographers to capture, but we have been photographing our pumpkin carvings for over 20 years, and have learned a lot of tricks along the way. We can shoot your pumpkin with a variety of Fall or Halloween themed props and settings. Anything from a clean black look to a fully custom painted backdrop is possible. The pumpkin can also be shot in our natural working environment. We will make sure your masterpiece of a pumpkin looks as captivating as it would in person.

Want to share some behind the scenes process photos of your pumpkin? We can document the making of the pumpkin carving with high resolution still images, timelapse or video clips. Work in progress shots can be great at building excitement and highlighting the hand crafted nature of our work. 

Our pros can capture gorgeous footage in a variety of format options, making it easy to create captivating Reels, TikTok, Twitter posts, and more. We can deliver high quality footage and clips in both the popular 1:1 or 9:16 (vertical) formats for viral social media content.

When placing your order make sure to inquire about all our photo services.

Carvers are also available go live on IG, FB, Zoom, & more.

BRANDING

Ben carving an Xtra Large pumpkin with logo and label art for Elysian Brewing.

Ben carving an Xtra Large pumpkin with logo and label art for Elysian Brewing.

75 lb Atlantic Giant with etched logo.

75 lb Atlantic Giant with etched logo.

World Series logo carved on extra large pumpkin.

World Series logo carved on extra large pumpkin.

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Google Photos event logo carved on 60 lb Atlantic Giant pumpkin.

Google Photos event logo carved on 60 lb Atlantic Giant pumpkin.

1800 pound pumpkin for New York Botanical Garden

1800 pound pumpkin for New York Botanical Garden

CARVING CLASSES

Learn to carve from the proS

 

Our artists are also experienced teachers. They can help people of any skill level to elevate their craft. Beginners and professionals will both benefit from classes with Maniac Pumpkin Carvers.  You will have a blast learning all about pumpkin carving as we help you find new ways to unlock your creativity, and make your creations shine.

We offer a limited number of classes each season, but can also be booked for private or group classes.

Our pumpkin carving classes/parties are also a great team building activity for corporate events!

 

Company Team building Loreley Beer Garden

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advanced Artists Carving Class The Cotton Candy Machine Gallery

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Pumpkin Basics Workshop NBA Headquarters

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JACK O' LANTERNS

A CLASSIC REIMAGINED

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Nothing screams Halloween more than a classic carved Jack O' Lantern. Our new twists on the traditional Jack O' Lanterns make this old favorite seem new and fresh again.

Nothing screams Halloween more than a classic carved Jack O' Lantern. Our new twists on the traditional Jack O' Lanterns make this old favorite seem new and fresh again.

A display featuring over 100 Jack O Lanterns, carved for the Standard Hotel, NYC.CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, & LIVE EVENTSOur carvers can work on site (or in our workshop) to create an incredible display of classic Jack O' Lanterns for your event. We al…

A display featuring over 100 Jack O Lanterns, carved for the Standard Hotel, NYC.

CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, & LIVE EVENTS

Our carvers can work on site (or in our workshop) to create an incredible display of classic Jack O' Lanterns for your event. We also offer Jack O' Lantern classes, workshops, and carving parties, so you and your group can get hands on pumpkin carving tips from a pro. Contact us for info!

FUN AND ORIGINAL DESIGNSIf you need one Jack O' Lantern or one hundred, our carvers can provide you with pumpkins that are sure to impress and add a fun classic Halloween vibe to any location.

FUN AND ORIGINAL DESIGNS

If you need one Jack O' Lantern or one hundred, our carvers can provide you with pumpkins that are sure to impress and add a fun classic Halloween vibe to any location.

We love drawing up inspiration rooted in the classic designs of jack o lantern postcard illustrations from the early 1900s.

We love drawing up inspiration rooted in the classic designs of jack o lantern postcard illustrations from the early 1900s.

A Halloween Tradition

Carving Jack O' Lanterns dates back to the old Celtic holiday, Samhain. For this precursor to Halloween, people would often carve scary looking turnips, lighting them up with candles, in order to ward off spirits. When the Irish came to America, they found that pumpkins being grown here were an even better medium to carve. They adapted the custom to utilize the beautiful pumpkins that were now available to them.

Long before social media, DMs, or text messages, people would send each other hand written messages on the backs of wonderfully illustrated postcards and many of these were in celebration of Halloween. These beautiful postcards dating back from the late 1800s through early 1900s, give us a glimpse into the past traditions of Halloween. Some of these original postcards still exist and are now highly sought after collectibles!

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WORKS OF ART

The Maniac Artists Series

Halloween is a time when people frequently pay homage to pop culture influences, athletes, icons, and pop stars. At Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, we like to pay homage to our biggest influences as well. Each year since we started Maniac Pumpkin Carvers, we have reinterpreted several extremely detailed, famous works of art into pumpkins, as part of our Artists Series.

In 2014 we created the first ever gallery exhibition of pumpkin art at The Cotton Candy Machine gallery in Brooklyn, NY. Each of the 16 unbelievably detailed pumpkins was inspired by an artwork by a contemporary artist who shows at the gallery.

Our Artist Series has also been recognized by the Museum of Modern Art. For 10 years in a row, we had the honor of reinterpreting a famous work of art on display at the museum. It is always a highlight of our season, carving a masterpiece for the Museum of Modern Art.

In 2022 & 2023, Chris Soria carved paintings from the Whitney Museum’s collection during their Halloween at the Whitney, members events.

We have also carved works of art for COSM (Chapel of Sacred Mirrors) in Wappinger NY, many other galleries, organizations, and institutions. Maniac Pumpkin Carvers have continually raised the bar with our Artists Series, elevating pumpkin carving from craft to art form. 

Have an idea and want to collaborate? Contact us!

Artists series pieces are among the most labor intensive pieces that we produce, but the effort is well worth it. Contact us for availability, as pumpkins including this level of detail require additional lead time. 

Alex Grey for COSM's Dieties and Demons Ball 

Alex Grey for COSM's Dieties and Demons Ball 

Picasso for Museum of Modern Art, NYC

Picasso for Museum of Modern Art, NYC

Warhol's Mao for Peter Brandt/Interview Mag

Warhol's Mao for Peter Brandt/Interview Mag

Matisse at MoMa

Matisse at MoMa

Alfons Mucha

Alfons Mucha

Camilla D'errico

Camilla D'errico

Munch's Scream

Munch's Scream

Shepard Fairey/Obey

Shepard Fairey/Obey

Dima Drjuchin

Dima Drjuchin

Mab Graves

Mab Graves

Alex Pardee

Alex Pardee

Mark Ryden's Lincoln

Mark Ryden's Lincoln

Van Gogh's Starry Night for MoMA

Van Gogh's Starry Night for MoMA

Rene Magritte for MoMA

Rene Magritte for MoMA

Tara McPherson

Tara McPherson

"FINDING IMMORTALITY ONE PUMPKIN AT A TIME."

Chuck Palahniuk