Montville — The owners and employees of Nature's Art Village have been keeping busy, between organizing a new Halloween event that launched this weekend and planning a six-hole, putt-putt course for young kids that is slated to open next year.

In addition to the mini-golf, a trackless train and a cave built into the hillside are planned for the 20th anniversary of The Dinosaur Place.

On Wednesday, marketing director Joey Plude gave a preview tour of The Pumpkin Place, winding from a candy corn family set up in front of pumpkins placed across the sloping grass to a giant dinosaur with a mummy in its mouth.

"It's really a family-friendly Halloween, not a chase-you-around-with-chainsaws" event, Plude said. But he added that the goal is also for teenagers to come with their families and have a good time.

The center's manmade lake, Raptor Bay, features a skeleton atop one rock and a bat atop another, with a giant illuminated pumpkin across the water.

Along a path are 7-foot-tall fiberglass dinosaur ribs, dressed-up dinosaurs, speakers emanating eerie sounds, a raptor cave, and a "pet the raptor" box, in which putting your hand in the hole results in spitting water and hissing noises.

And there are 6,000 pounds of pumpkins throughout the grounds.

The trail ends with a gathering area featuring a 1,400-square-foot inflatable corn maze, bounce houses, inflatable slide, and inflatable ax-throwing that involves Velcro.

Every night there will be a magic show and fire spinning; Plude said Fire 'n Flow is doing a custom routine for this event.

Mini-golf, train planned for 20th anniversary expansion

Part of the trail at The Dinosaur Place is blocked off for construction of the new 2020 exhibits.

Plude said that when Copper Creek Mini Golf opened at Nature's Art in 2017, the goal was to have something for the older kids, but the new course is geared toward younger kids.

While Copper Creek has a separate fee, the six-hole course — to be called Lapilli Landing, named for rock fragments that come from a volcano — will be part of admission to The Dinosaur Place, Plude said. It won't be manned by anyone, so kids can just pick up a ball and go, and the holes will be short and themed.

Plude said a "gigantic" cave is being built into the hillside, adding coyly, "There may be an animatronic in there."

Co-owner Roger Phillips said the expansion will also involve a road train, which will look like an old locomotive and operate on the trails.

Roger and Linda Phillips' site plan application to the town listed construction of a 1,100-foot stone dust path, six-hole mini golf course, and a 530-foot pedal track. The Montville Planning & Zoning Commission approved the application in August.

Plude said Nature's Art is looking to open the expansions next June as it enters its peak season.

e.moser@theday.com

If You Go

What: The Pumpkin Place

Where: Nature's Art Village, 1650 Hartford New London Turnpike, Oakdale 

When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5-10 p.m. until Oct. 27

Cost: $23 for ages 2-16, $20 for adults and $18 for seniors

More information: 860-443-4367 or www.natureartvillage.com