From 40 to 3,000 visitors
We moved from a private garden to The Garden Courtyard on Al Wasl Road in 2022, added a second evening in 2023 and opened family tables for children from six years old.
Since 2019
About us
Friends who love the autumn season
Qaraa w Fanous began in 2019, when a group of friends in Jumeirah carved pumpkins together in a garden and invited the neighbours. The next year, the neighbours brought their friends.
Today we are a small team of designers, woodcarvers and event producers. We run two evenings each October with live demonstrations, hands-on sessions for families and a lantern wall that lights up after sunset.
Our story
How the event grew
Every year we add one new thing and keep what visitors loved.
Carvers from across the region
Guest carvers from Amman, Beirut and Muscat have joined our stage, and our calligraphy lanterns were shown at two Dubai design weeks.
What we care about
More than carving
Craft for every age
Our sessions are designed so a six-year-old and a grandparent can carve at the same table, with safe tools and a carver nearby.
Less waste
Pumpkin flesh goes to a local kitchen for soup, and the seeds are roasted and handed out as snacks on the night.