As an alternative to trick-or-treating this Halloween season, the City of Medford is inviting residents to use their creative talents to decorate pumpkins and lanterns, which will be displayed in an around Wright’s Pond in illuminated evening showings on Thursday, October 29, and Friday, October 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. To ensure your pumpkin will float, the city recommends decorating a “sugar” or “pie” pumpkin about 6 to 8 inches in size. Larger pumpkins will be placed along the paths at the pond.

Decorated pumpkins and lanterns may be dropped of at Wright’s Pond on Monday, October 26, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., and on Tuesday, October 27, from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

The city also is sponsoring a Draw-lloween Artwork Contest. Creations will be distributed to local businesses to hang in their windows, and the top five selected drawings will be displayed at City Hall throughout November. Gift cards will be awarded to the top three entrants. The deadline to enter is Thursday, October 22.

Visit the city website for more information on these and other Halloween events: https://www.medfordma.org/seasonal-events/.