Halloween Pumpkin Carving Masterclass

CLAASH Pumpkins are running a pumpkin carving masterclass at The Alchemy Experiment on Tuesday 27 October, just a few days before Halloween. It's a 90-minute workshop from 6:30pm to 8pm, and it's for adults over 16 only, so it's more of a relaxed evening out than a family thing. They provide everything — the pumpkins, the proper tools, and all the materials — and you take your finished carving home with you.

If the name doesn't ring a bell, it's because they're a seasonal outfit. CLAASH Pumpkins have been around since 2014, but they only carve for about a month each year. Outside of workshops like this, they've been the ones behind the thematic feature pumpkins at the Pumpkin Patch since it launched in 2019, they've done demos at the Glasgow Science Centre, and they run workshops for GlasGLOW, the annual Halloween event at the Botanic Gardens. So they're not just hobbyists; they're professional carvers who spend their autumns doing this across the city.

There's a bit of local history to it, too. Pumpkin carving is actually a relatively recent addition to Halloween in Scotland, where the tradition was carving turnips instead. The modern festivities we're used to trace back to the Celtic roots of Samhain, so the whole thing sits in a long line of Scottish autumn traditions. This session is a hands-on way to get involved yourself rather than just buying a pre-made one.

The workshop runs from 6:30pm to 8pm at The Alchemy Experiment, 157 Byres Road, Glasgow West End G12 8TS, and tickets are £24.54.