Perfect Pumpkin – The Great Pumpkin Festival

The search for the perfect pumpkin will be at The Great Pumpkin Festival on October 24 – 26, 2008. Visit the Desert Botanical Garden’s very own pumpkin patch, where each day children aged 12 and under can choose their own free pumpkin. Children also can enjoy face painting, the Amazing Bale Maze, balloon artistry, pumpkin decorating and carving demonstrations.

The Great Pumpkin Festival schedule and details is as follows:

 

Friday / October 24 - 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday / October 25 & 26 - 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

$12  Non-Member Adult
$6  Non-Member Child (ages 3-12)
$2  Member Adult
$2 Member Child (ages 3-12)
Children Under 3 – Free

Price includes Garden admission, hay ride, and festival activities.

The perfect pumpkin is waiting for you at the Desert Botanical Garden. Take a hay ride out to the Garden’s pumpkin patch, where each day children 12 and under can choose their own free pumpkin. Get lost in the Amazing Hay Bale Maze, visit with friendly animals in the Petting Zoo, enjoy lively Country and Western entertainment, and much more!

The Desert Botanical Garden is located in Phoenix, Arizona, near the cities of Scottsdale and Tempe, on 145 acres in the midst of the red rock buttes of Papago Park at 1201 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona 85008.

Picking your own pumpkins for Halloween decorations and cooking is an October tradition just about everywhere in the United States. Arizona is no different, and there are several places you can go to enjoy picking your pumpkins from a pumpkin patch. Here is a small list of local Pumpkin patches, corn mazes and Halloween activities in Maricopa County:

• Crooked Sky Farms – pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field,
  5835 N 83rd Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85303. Several fields in Arizona based in, Glendale, AZ 85303. Directions: (SE corner of N. 83rd Ave. and Bethany Home Rd.) Crops are usually available in October. Open: check website for hours. Free admission. Pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, hay bales, produce, photo-boards, pumpkin-o-meter.
• Fun Farm Corn Maze – Haunted corn maze 2209 North 99th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ.
• MacDonald’s Ranch -  hayrides, horse rides, and Pumpkin festival in October and early November.  Located in the tranquil Sonoran Desert of Scottsdale, Arizona, MacDonalds Ranch offers activities for small parties, large conventions or corporate gatherings. Choose from Guided Horseback Trailrides, Hayrides, early morning, mid-day, or evening Cowboy Cookouts, and many varieties of Entertainment. Just minutes from most Valley resorts, hotels and airports. Located at 26540 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, Arizona 85255.
• Brooke’s Pumpkin Patch at Mother Nature’s Farm- Pumpkin patch, hay rides, school tours, animals, picnic area, and corn maze.  Located on Baseline between Stapley and Gilbert Rds. 1663 E. Baseline Road, Gilbert, AZ 85233. Phone: (480) 892-5874. U-pick peaches and apples in May and June. Call ahead for hours.  
• Pumpkin Patch At Kiwanis Park – pumpkins, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, child-sized hay bale maze,
  111 West Baseline Road, Tempe, AZ 85283. Phone: 623-521-8894.  Open: Monday to Friday, 4pm to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 8pm.  Also open weekdays by reservation for groups/schools. Farm-grown pumpkins, a bounce house, ghoulish games for the kids and our unique multi passenger cycles, paddle boats and kayaks available to rent. If you get hungry, food will be only steps away, including candy apples and ice cream to satisfy your sweet tooth, juicy cheeseburgers, hot dogs and refreshing drinks to wash it all down! Guaranteed fun for the whole group!.
• Schnepf Farms Pumpkin and Chili Party – Pumpkins, hay rides, pumpkin decorating, make your own scarecrow, live music, bonfire. Schnepf Farms Pumpkin & Chili Party.  Check at Fry’s for discounted tickets. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from October 2 though November 2. Schnepf Farms is located at 22601 E. Cloud Road, Queen Creek, Arizona 85242. Call for exact dates  Phone: 480 987 3100
• Superstition Farm – straw or hay bale maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, gift shop, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, birthday parties, weddings and wedding parties, school tours, events at your location (call for info) 3440 S. Hawes Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212. Phone: 480 986 7781. 
• Tolmachoff Farms - pumpkins, pumpkin patch-pick in the field, the pumpkin patch is already gathered from the field, train rides, corn maze, haunted corn maze, child-sized hay bale maze, corn cannon, pre-picked produce, restrooms, picnic area, petting zoo, farm animals, Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze opens October 1, 2008; The corn Maze will close November 23, 2008; 5726 N. 75th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85303. Phone: 623-386-1301.
• Vertuccio Farms – pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, train rides,  10-acre corn maze, straw or hay bale maze, snacks and refreshment stand, picnic area, farm animals and located at 4011 S. Power Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212. Phone: 480-650-6611.  Corn Maze/Pumpkin Patch is open from October 5th through Nov. 5th, 2008.
• Maze Farm Search – Search all over the US for maze farms for taking the family out for some October fun!

Pumpkin scrapbook graphic compliments of my very talented sister in-law & beautiful niece and nephews! copyright2007- JHaltom