THUNDER BAY -- Nathan and Sarah Penney make a visit to Gammondale Farm an annual October tradition.
For the past number of years the couple have brought their two daughters, Ava and Lola, to the farm’s Pumpkinfest event, a family friendly celebration of fall and the harvest.
“It’s a nice family event. There’s so much for parents and kids to do here,” she said on Sunday.
“I think they started just liking seeing all the pumpkins and the trees and going on the hayrides. Now they like doing more of the activities and having lunch here.”
This year marks the 20th annual edition of Pumpkinfest, which runs every weekend in October at the McCluskey Drive farm in the Slate River Valley.
Gammondale farm owner Sue Gammond said over the past few years Pumpkinfest has drawn an average of more than 5,000 people.
Activities include mazes, hayrides, pony rides, the boo barn and the always popular pumpkin catapults and corn cannons.
“We have lots of activities families can enjoy along with lots of good food,” Gammond said.
Front and centre though are the pumpkins, which are available for purchase along with an assortment of baked goods made from pumpkins grown on the farm.
Despite poor growing conditions that resulted in about a 50 per cent reduction in yield from their pumpkin crop, Gammond said there are still enough of the popular orange fall fruit to go around.
“Right now we have lots and I still think we’ll have enough for everybody because we never sell out,” she said.
The farm also operates their Haunted Cornfield on evenings throughout October as Halloween approaches.
Pumpkinfest runs on Thanksgiving Monday as well as well as on Saturdays and Sundays through to the end of the month.