Pumpkin Season Peaks Around Philadelphia as Halloween Nears
With Halloween two weeks away, markets across the Philadelphia area are overflowing with pumpkins. From big jack-o’-lantern pumpkins to decorative mini gourds, the peak of fall is now.
Farms around Philadelphia are in full swing, welcoming visitors to pick or choose their pumpkins. The standout is Linvilla Orchards in Media, Delaware County. The 300-acre farm’s Pumpkinland is covered with more than 100 tons of pumpkins from early September through early November, and hayrides, a corn maze and apple cider donuts keep visitors coming. About 20 miles from Center City, it is the easiest day trip.
Shady Brook Farm in Yardley, Bucks County, is the festival-style option. During FallFest, which runs Sept. 11 through Oct. 30, visitors ride wagons out to the fields to pick pumpkins off the vine while kids burn energy on the giant slide and jumping pillows. After sunset, families can roast marshmallows over campfires.
Charlann Farms in Yardley holds Fall Festival Weekends through Oct. 25. The $14.99 admission includes pumpkin painting and a hayride, and children 2 and under are free. Hellerick’s Family Farm in Doylestown boasts more than 40 attractions and a five-acre corn maze, with pumpkins available for purchase on-site.
For budget-minded families, Styer Orchard in Langhorne is the answer: admission and hayrides are free, and visitors pay only for what they pick. Bountiful Acres in Buckingham runs its Pumpkin Harvest Festival on weekends through Oct. 25 with a corn maze and zip line, while None Such Farm & Market offers free admission and parking at its Pumpkin Festival through Oct. 25.
Weekend farms get crowded, so arriving early is wise, and some farms require advance tickets.
Halloween events are lining up too. The Haunted Ship Halloween Party takes over the Moshulu on Oct. 31, and Halloween bar crawls run through the city on Oct. 24 and 31. Ghost tours walk the old city nightly through October, and a Halloween event fills the Historic District on Oct. 18.
