28th edition of The Great Pumpkin Ball - The best Montréal Space for Life fall tradition!

MONTREAL, Oct. 2, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - What do spiders and pumpkins have in common? They are the stars of the long-awaited Great Pumpkin Ball! From October 4 to 31, 2013, the Montréal Space for Life celebrates the season's bounty with fun and colourful activities at the Montréal Botanical Garden, Insectarium and Biodôme. At the heart of the festival, the Great Pumpkin Ball, Esmeralda the witch and Pépo the Pumpkin, the children's favourite characters, invite families to come admire their collection of beautiful and amazing decorated pumpkins! At the Botanical Garden, the Cucurbitaceaes' world is topsy-turvy with games, activities and performances where pumpkins steal the show. At the Insectarium, the spiders are impatiently awaiting Halloween, ready to give you shivers, while at the Biodôme, even the animals are participating in Halloween and taking a liking to pumpkins! Calling all—young and old—with a taste for magic to come and take part in the event of the season where pleasure, surprise and emotion await you all the time!

Fall colours at the Space for Life are also present in the Gardens of Light, which come alive at nightfall! Until November 3, the Japanese and Chinese Gardens light up at dusk and beautiful pathways emerge as the magic of the night transforms them.

At the Botanical Garden: Long live the pumpkin!
The Great Pumpkin Ball and the Pumpkin-decorating contest
Let your imagination run wild and create the best-decorated pumpkin! Individual, family and group participation (five age categories). Several cash prizes to be won. Good luck everyone! Prizes will be awarded at the "Awards Ceremony" on Friday, October 18, at 6 p.m.
Rules and details at espacepourlavie.ca/en
Daily, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Esmeralda the witch, her cat Abracadabra and Guntram the broom add their touch of magic to the party!
Large Exhibition Greenhouse. Activities daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Pépo the Pumpkin
Starring Pépo, our Cucurbitaceae friend, who wants to know where he came from. A quest that will take him back in time to the Mayans and Native Americans!
Play for children from ages 4 to 8. Schedule available at espacepourlavie.ca/en

The Little Monsters Courtyard
The outdoor play area offers children 10 and under a dozen fun games to play in the best Halloween environment in the city: Monsters Battle, the Treacherous River, the Greedy Frog, plus, new this year, The City Mouse and the Country Mouse, a new urban agriculture game as well as an irresistible small climbing wall for the little ones in the labyrinth!

Squash Kiosk
Are you familiar with the vast family of Cucurbitaceae? Take the quiz and you could win a collection of recipes from some top chefs!
Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays)

Maude's pumpkin
Come and admire sculptor Maude Bernier Chabot's work. Her giant pumpkin, a wonderful reproduction of the largest pumpkin of 2012 with a record weight of 1,600 pounds, won't fail to amaze you!

The Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) kiosk
Passionate farmers ask you questions about agriculture and share their taste for fresh and tasty food!
Saturdays and Sundays

The Halloween Origami Workshop
An entertaining stopover where you will discover the magic of origami, the art of paper folding, and its countless forms that become festive decorations!
Japanese Pavilion, Saturdays and Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

At the Insectarium: Halloween spins its web!
Great time for spiders
An interpreter on a scooter criss-crosses the Insectarium gardens, eager to introduce you to the stars of the season.
10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:15 p.m. (bilingual activity, cancelled in case of rain)

Insects on Tour
Disguised as superheroes, they'll come shake your hand!
10:15 a.m.,11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m. (20 min, bilingual activity)

Naturally Well Made: Jumping Spiders
11 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m. (15 min)
Naturally Well Made: Hunting Spiders
10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 5 p.m. (15 min)
True acrobats, the spiders will use all their talents to seduce you. Will you be able to resist them?

Pop Capsules
A host of secrets about spiders that funny characters will share with you.
11:30 a.m.,1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 6:15 p.m., (10 min)

At the Biodôme: Even fish like pumpkins!
Pumpkin Treats
Halloween activities involving all the animals of the Biodôme! Come see how mammals, fish and even birds can use a thousand ruses and tricks to open their little pumpkin-shaped surprise box. Indoors? Everyone's favourite food! This is also an enrichment activity that keeps the residents of the ecosystems on alert, just as they are in nature!
October 26 and 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Information: espacepourlavie.ca/en/programming/great-pumpkin-ball

The Montréal Space for Life is the world's first ever site dedicated to both human beings and nature. It includes the Biodôme, Insectarium, Botanical Garden and Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium. Together, they are committed to preserving and enhancing biodiversity, and call on citizens locally and around the world to join this bold and creative urban movement.

SOURCE: Espace pour la vie

For further information:

Diane Pinard
Communications coordinator
514 872-5028 / 514 566-7914
[email protected] 

Karine Jalbert
Communications coordinator
514 872-1453
[email protected]