Come October there’s nowhere better than colorful Colorado! At the center of all the fall fever, you have the Broncos, the leaves, the beer and of course the pumpkins! Let’s talk pumpkins.
With so many nearby fall festivals in one month, it’s hard to know where to go. Rather than pull a lot of information off websites, I like to share a few first hand experiences I love. I’ll admit my pumpkin patch research spans several years, but there was one year I did make it to all of them all in one month. I hope you find something on the list new to try. I’d love to hear about where you go and the pumpkin adventures you have!
Have fun fellow pumpkin pickers! Orange is the new black!
Four Mile Historic Park’s Annual Pumpkin Harvest Festival
Saturday October 5th and Sunday October 6th
715 S. Forest Street
Denver, CO 80246
As a native Denverite I used to love dressing up for Pioneer Days in school. So, what could be more fun than making corn bread, churning butter and quilting? At Four Mile Historic Park’s annual Pumpkin Harvest Festival you can do all that plus compete in the cake walk, see a blacksmith demonstration, pan for gold and a tour an old school house. Add to that some pumpkin picking, live music, face painting, and truck rides; and it is pretty hard to beat Four Mile Historic Park’s festive Pumpkin Harvest Festival when it comes to good ol’ Colorado fun!
Located smack in the middle of Denver, this one is super easy to get to; but parking is a different story. The highlight of the Four Mile Pumpkin Harvest Festival is getting to make a super-sized scarecrow that goes home with you at the end of the day. KYGO is going to be live during the festival this year from 10 am to noon.
Cost: Four Mile Historic Park Members get in for free; Non Member Adults are $10; Youth (3-17): $5; Military and Senior: $6; Kids 2 and Under: Free; Food trucks, full bar, scarecrow making and pumpkins are all additional.
Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield’s Pumpkin Festival
Friday through Sunday, October 11-13, 9 am to 5 pm. Last entry at 4 pm daily.
8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road
Littleton, CO 80128
Another treasured October tradition for Denverites is the Pumpkin Festival and Corn Maze at the Denver Botanic Gardens’ Chatfield location. The Corn Maze is open from now through October 27th, but the Pumpkin Festival is one weekend only.
Admission includes access to a 10 acre pumpkin patch, fun fall activities like pony rides, horsedrawn hayrides, carnival games, bouncers, face painting, crafts and artisan booths. Who doesn’t love a good photo booth? They have that too! For this one, you need to bring your own wagon to haul your pumpkins to your car. There is a full entertainment lineup of live music throughout the 3-days starting at 10 am on Friday. Acts include Magic Rob, the magician; children’s music and a number of Bluegrass bands.
For the brave at heart, experience the Corn Maze After Dark with only a glow stick from 7 to 11 pm. Want more scary thrills? Try the Dead Zone Scream Park open after dark. The Dead Scream Park includes admission into Corn Stalkers Haunted Maze, After Dark Maze and Fear Flicks. Fear flicks is an outdoor movie experience with a different film each week.
Cost: Advance Purchase Pricing – Non members: $8 for adults; $6 for children (ages 3 -12); $7 for seniors and military (ages 65+). Members can take $2 off every ticket. You have to pay $2 more a ticket if you buy it at the door. Pumpkins, food, beer and the corn maze are additional. Discounted Corn Maze tickets can be added for an additional $8 per adult or child. Ticket pricing for Dead Zone Scream Park starts at $28.
Anderson Farms Fall Festival with Lots of Pumpkins
Now through November 3rd. Fridays 10 am to 11 pm; Saturdays 9 am to 11 pm; Sundays 9 am to 10 pm; Monday-Wednesdays 10 am to 6 pm; Thursdays 10 am to 10 pm.
6728 County Road 3 1/4
Erie, CO 80516
For one of the largest and most comprehensive fall festivals make your way just northwest of Denver to Anderson Farms. From bumpy wagon rides to a massive pumpkin patch, Anderson Farms is unique in its sprawling playground of fun activities one after another. There is a really large corn maze; bouncers, slides, pedal karts, farm animals, a barrel train, sand diggers, gem panning, pony rides, face painting, pumpkin painting, pumpkin launches and more! With so much space at Anderson Farms to wonder and explore, this pumpkin patch is one of my absolute favorites.
Cost: Fall festival Monday-Thursday $12; Friday-Sun $19; Terror in the Corn $27; Terror in the Corn Quick Pass $40; Zombie Paintball Hunt $27; Zombie Paintball Hunt Quick Pass $40. Terror/Zombie combo pricing also available. Additional charge for pumpkins and food. Children 2 and under have free admission to the Fall Festival.
Miller Farm’s Farm Festival 2019: Pumpkins, Potatoes and More!
Now through mid November, 9 to 6 pm daily
13912 CR 19
Platteville, CO 80651
Miller Farms is definitely up there as one of Colorado’s top Fall Harvest Festivals. At Miller Farms you can experience farm life up close and personal by picking your own vegetables and hanging out with the animals. A fun hayride leads you through 180 acres of fields filled not just with pumpkins, but potatoes, carrots, beets, onions, squash and more.
[su_box title=”Best Deal”]Load a wagon full of pumpkins, gourds and winter squash plus whatever other goodies from the Mille Farms field for only $35.[/su_box]The creative antique alley features farm equipment and one of a kind oddities. If you love the Pixar movies, Cars, you’ll be able to get to have a great photo op with Mater and Lightning McQueen. Other activities include: the Corn Maze, play areas, a hay pyramid to climb on and more.
Cost: $22 for adults, age 12 and up; family of four $75 and additional persons $18; Chirldren 5-12 $15; Children 4 and under free.
Rock Creek FarmU-Pick-em Pumpkins & Corn Maze
Opening October 5 – 31st. Open every day from 9 am until 6:30 pm with extended evening hours Friday and Saturdays until 10 pm.
2005 South 112th Street
Broomfield, CO 80020
Rock Creek Farm is not only one of the largest pumpkin patches but one of the best values. Just south of Boulder in Broomfield, Rock Creek Farm is full of fall delights. Over 100 acres of pumpkin fields sprawl through the Farm with a road on which you can drive through at your own leisure. There is no charge to drive through or park.
Rock Creek also has lots of animals to meet: pigs, goats, cows, sheep and chickens. The kids areas have bouncers, slides, tractors and more. At the center of the fun is a hay bale maze and over 6 miles of corn mazes. If you are looking to take some amazing pictures, Rock Creek Farm has the very best view from its pumpkin patch!
Cost: There is no charge to enter the pumpkin fields and kids areas. That’s right: free admission and free parking! You only pay for the pumpkins, fall goodies, corn maze and food. Discounts given for more than one pumpkin purchased. Corn maze pricing ranges from 7 to 10 dollars. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Nick’s Garden Center’s Fall Fest
Everyday through October 27th. Monday- Saturday 8 am – 6pm; Sunday 9 am to 5 pm.
If you don’t have time to drive out to the farm, stop by Nicks Garden Center in Aurora for aa great selection of gourds and pumpkins. There is no entrance fee and tons of free activities: a straw maze, story time with Professor Pumpkin, play areas and game.
Cost: Some activities do require tokens: train and tractor rides for $4 a person; an inflatable obstacle course $4; and Nicks Duck Race cost $2 per duck. You can also purchase a writst band for $12 that gives you one ride on the train, tractor, pedal karts and obstacle course. You won’t get the pumpkin picking experience straight off the vine, but you will have lots and lots of pumpkins to choose from.
Nick’s Famous Pumpkin Weigh Off
This weekend on Saturday October 5th is Nick’s famous Weigh Off. Local farmers bring their pumpkins and the winning first and second largest pumpkins get paid $1.50 a pound. To give you an idea of how large these pumpkins are, the first place winner often gets $1,400 to $1,500!
Tagawa Gardens Fall Family Pumpkin Festival
Saturdays & Sundays, October 12 & 13, 19 & 20, 26 & 27.
7711 S. Parker Road
Centennial, CO 80016
Another fun greenhouse festival close to Denver is Tagawa Gardens’ Fall Family Festival in Centennial, near Parker. This festival combines entertainment and education to make a meaningful fall experience for everyone.
For three October weekends at Tagawa, you can: get up close and personal with live animals: take a horse-drawn hayride; explore the Bat Cave and the Spider’s Lair; decorate your own pumpkin; walk on water bubbles; and take a mini train or pony ride. Food trucks off plenty to eat and drink.
There is also a full calendar of special events during the festival including: Dr. Mike’s Bag of Bugs; pumpkin bowling, tarantula encounters and crafts. A number of the special events involve opportunities to learn and see honey bees, birds of prey, hawks, wolves, owls and other animals native to Colorado.
Cost: Like Nick’s Fall Fest, most of the activities require tickets but admission and special events on stage are FREE. You can purchase 25 tickets for $20. Regular price is $1 a ticket. Visit the Tagawa Gardens’ website for a $5 off coupon on pumpkins and fall decorations.
Berry Patch Farms’ Autumn Blessings
October 5th, 10am to 2 pm.
13785 Potomac Street
Brighton, CO 80601
For a more low key pumpkin – produce picking experience, Berry Patch Farms is near Denver and has a nice easy feel. The raspberries and strawberries are ending their season, but flowers and basil are still at their prime.
On Saturday October 5th, Berry Patch Farms will offer hay rides, chef demos, scavenger hunts, straw mazes, pumpkin picking and samples of autumn produce.
Cost: October 5th festival $5/person; children under two are free. Pumpkin prices are $3 -$7; Regular October Saturdays are $2/person.
Maize in the City
Open Thursdays through Mondays now through October 14th and every day from October 17 – 31. Weekdays 12 pm to 7pm; Fridays 10 am to 7 pm; Saturday and Sundays 9 am to 7 pm.
10451 McKay Road
Thornton, CO 80233
For this Wolverine, anything with the word “maize” in it has my attention! I am also interested in anything fun and adventurous close to Denver. Maize in the City isn’t actually right in the city, but it is really close by.
Attractions include: corn launchers, bouncers, barrel rides, animals, an easy pick pumpkin field; a corn kernel box; and 20+ acre corn maze. We are heading out to Maize in the City for the first time this year. Adding one new adventure a season is always a great goal!
Cost: Access to the Easy Pick Pumpkin Field, playground and corn kernel box is FREE! You just pay a la carte for some of the attractions: the Crazed Corn Field Maze pricing starts at $9; mini maze is $5; corn launcher $5 to $7; mini train $3; pony rides $6; petting zoo $4; bouncers $12 all day pass; and arts and crafts range from $2 to $10.
