Hollywood Gets A Giant Halloween Glow-Up Courtesy Of Raising Cane’s
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Halloween officially received a frightfully fun glow-up in Hollywood. Raising Cane’s owner and founder, Todd Graves, brought this transformation. He created a giant 2,518-pound jack-o’-lantern inspired by all things Hollywood and Halloween. The pumpkin was carved by Food Network star and Guinness World Record holder Eric Jones. His team of expert carvers assisted him. It is the second largest/heaviest in the country. It weighs as much as 20,000 Chicken Fingers. The pumpkin is on show. Everyone can see it outside of the TCL Chinese Theatre. It is located along the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
During the unveiling event, which was more treat than trick, Graves, Jones, and Emmett Andrusz introduced the pumpkin. Emmett Andrusz is the Grower of the Year. The event was more treat than trick. Graves, Jones, and Emmett Andrusz, Grower of the Year, introduced the pumpkin. They announced it would stay on exhibition through Sunday, November 2. The massive 2,518-pound jack-o’-lantern was set among some of Hollywood’s most iconic landmarks. It took center stage near the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fans, locals, and tourists gathered to sneak a peek at the masterpiece. Special guests included Landon Barker, Jesse Palmer, Karrueche, Malika and Khadijah Haqq, Cory Wharton, Dayna Marie, and more.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Malika Haqq and Khadijah Haqq attend Raising Cane’s unveiling of a giant jack-o’-lantern with Todd Graves and celebrity friends at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s) 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Todd Graves, CEO, Raising Cane’s and Cory Wharton attend Raising Cane’s unveiling of a giant jack-o’-lantern with Todd Graves and celebrity friends at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s) 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Todd Graves, CEO, Raising Cane’s and Dayna Marie attend Raising Cane’s unveiling of a giant jack-o’-lantern with Todd Graves and celebrity friends at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s) 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Todd Graves, CEO, Raising Cane’s and Landon Barker attend Raising Cane’s unveiling of a giant jack-o’-lantern with Todd Graves and celebrity friends at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s) 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: (L-R) Malika Haqq and Khadijah Haqq attend Raising Cane’s unveiling of a giant jack-o’-lantern with Todd Graves and celebrity friends at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s)
“I’ve always loved Halloweens and jack-o’-lanterns and dreamed of having the biggest pumpkin in the world, and last year we got it. This year, we have the first- and second-largest pumpkins in the country. I wanted to share them with as many people as possible. That’s why we have one here on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We also have one in the heart of Times Square at Military Island. I wanted to show the pumpkins where people would be to enjoy them. More than 100,000 people walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame each day. I couldn’t think of a better place to share this pumpkin with the world,” said Graves. “It was amazing having Eric and Emmett join me today to debut this unbelievable pumpkin. I really respect them and all the work they put into growing and bringing these masterpieces to life. Halloween is a fun time, and pumpkins are so inspiring. I want kids to walk by this pumpkin and know that they can be a grower or a carver – or anything they want to be – and have the opportunity to bring joy to so many people through their passions.”
The pumpkin was carved by Jones and his team of expert carvers. The team includes Monique Hawk and William Wilson. It took more than 30 hours to carve. They used 10 different materials to bring the creation to life. These materials included gourds, squash, beets, and more. Jones and team used more than 100 different carving tools throughout the 30 hours. The result was a stunning masterpiece that brought dazzle and design to one of Hollywood’s busiest areas.
“It’s such a privilege working with Cane’s again for the second year. Todd picked great locations to show both pumpkins. One is here at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and another is at Military Island in Times Square. I’ve loved seeing people’s reactions throughout the carving and display process,” said Jones. “It’s unbelievable to be here right now with Todd and Emmett finally unveiling our hard work. Seeing people take pictures with the pumpkin and ask questions about it is so rewarding. This is what it’s all about, sharing with the Community and spreading joy.”
Andrusz and his father, Scott, worked tirelessly over 110 days to grow the giant gourd to a scale-tipping 2,518 pounds. These pumpkins often grow more than 60 or 70 pounds a day. Andrusz said the growing process requires constant love, care, and attention. This ensures every detail is just right. Although the pumpkin-growing process is over, one important job still remains: securing the seeds for next season. After Halloween ends, Andrusz will carefully carve into the pumpkin’s core through the 12-inch pumpkin walls. He will retrieve the precious seeds, knowing there are anywhere from one to 1,000. He hopes to plant them in the soil and grow a 3,000+ world-record-pound pumpkin next year.
“It’s unbelievable to be here right now, enjoying the pumpkin and seeing all the joy it’s bringing to people. Seeing everything come to life is very rewarding and I love that we have the opportunity to share our pumpkin with so many people,” said Andrusz. “I grew up around pumpkins with my dad and never imagined we’d be here today with Raising Cane’s and Todd. Next year, we’re going for a 3,000+ pound pumpkin – we want a Guinness World Record!”
Throughout the event, celebrities and influencers enjoyed Chicken Fingers and Cane’s Sauce. They snapped pictures in front of the pumpkin. They also mingled with one another as the spooky holiday draws near. Fright will take flight. The jack-o’-lantern will be displayed at Michael Braun and Vas Morgan’s star-studded Halloween party. Graves is co-hosting this event. Sponsored by Raising Cane’s, the food truck will be on-site. It will serve Chicken Fingers and Cane’s Sauce to hungry party-goers. Hollywood’s biggest stars will celebrate the night in dazzling costumes. These costumes are sure to delight even the spookiest of creatures. The larger-than-life gourd is just the beginning of treats for LA. Raising Cane’s will open at Hollywood & Sunset next week on November 4. Another opening is planned at Hollywood & Highland in early 2026.
LA isn’t the only hot spot for giant pumpkins this spooky szn! Those celebrating the holiday in NYC will have a chance to see America’s largest pumpkin on show. It can be found at Military Island, located just across from Raising Cane’s Global Flagship in Times Square. Weighing in at 2,741 pounds, this pumpkin sets a New York state record. Jones and the team carved it to reflect the dazzling skyline of the city. It also includes spooktacular Cane’s elements. If your Halloween plans don’t include a stop on the east or west coast, fear not! Graves is also displaying another pumpkin. It is at the Halloween Capital of Texas in downtown Denton. Denton is located 45 minutes north of Dallas.
Graves, a longtime lover of all things Halloween, is known for buying and carving giant pumpkins each year. Last year, Graves displayed the world’s biggest pumpkin at Nights of the Jack in Calabasas. This year, he decided to take the spooky celebration coast-to-coast. To share in the festivities, Graves wanted the giant gourds displayed in iconic locations across the country. This allows everyone to enjoy them. Goblins, ghouls, and ghosts will delight in snapping a picture in front of the creative carvings. Graves’ love of Halloween inspires these.
The Hollywood jack-o’-lantern debut is the latest in a series of creative Halloween activations. Raising Cane’s, a Brand, infuses its signature personality and hospitality into everything it does. Each year, Graves and the Cane’s Crew embrace the season with festive decorations. They add ghostly surprises and, of course, the iconic Chicken Fingers fans can’t get enough of.
Graves first enlisted carvers Jones, Hawk, and Wilson. They worked with him on Raising Cane’s initial giant jack-o’-lantern carving last year. The team surprised Calabasas with the largest 360-degree pumpkin of the 2024 season. This happened at the Nights of the Jack event in Calabasas, CA. Graves was surrounded by celebrity guests. He enjoyed plenty of hand-battered, cooked-to-order Chicken Fingers from the Raising Cane’s food truck. Graves was inspired to share his lifelong love of Halloween with all.
ABOUT RAISING CANE’S®:
Raising Cane’s is one of the fastest-growing Restaurant Brands. It has 950+ Restaurants in 42+ states. The company plans to open more than 100 new Restaurants across several new markets in 2025. The company recently announced plans to be one of the top 10 Restaurant Brands in the United States and is known for its ONE LOVE® – Craveable Chicken Finger Meals® – which includes the iconic “Cane’s Sauce®” – named the #1 most craveable sauce in the Restaurant industry and most craveable chicken. For more information, visit raisingcanes.com
