Tolay Fall Festival
Petaluma embraces the spirit of Halloween like no other place I have ever lived and it all starts with a visit to the pumpkin patch. It may be unseasonably warm but that didn’t keep me from taking my son to the Adobe Pumpkin patch last Friday. He had been asking for the “pumpins” for weeks and, after a summer of park-going, I was ready for some new fun.
It was Adobe’s opening day so we pretty much had the run of the place. We played hide-n-seek in the castle and hay maze, climbed on the old tractors, pretended to be animals in the circus train, shopped for Halloween decorations, and enjoyed a long romp in the jumpy house. Another mom and I huddled on the shady side of the jumpy wondering just how long our kids could go in the heat. We didn’t time them but I’d say it was a good 10-15 minutes before I heard a cry for “juice!”
Our pumpkin patch escapade only lasted an hour but it was plenty of time to get into the Halloween spirit. The uneaten cheese stick that melted into the center console of my car may beg to differ, but Halloween is on its way! That autumn chill will be here soon and with it many more visits to the pumpkin patches of Petaluma.
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Here is your guide to the Pumpkin Patches and Events of Petaluma! Call ahead on rainy days to make sure they are open.
Adobe Pumpkin Farm
2478 East Washington St, Petaluma
(707) 763-6416
www.adobepumpkinfarm.com
Already open. 10 am – 6 pm daily through October.
“30 acres of Harvest Fun”. Pick your own pumpkin, DeMille Manor Haunted House, small haunted barn, farm animals, hay bale pyramid, castle with hay maze, jumpy house, corn maze, pony rides, face painting and balloon creations, large Halloween gift shop, coffee barn. On the weekends the Pumpkin Fairy Godmother rises out of the pumpkin patch to tell stories and sprinkle fairy dust on your pumpkins! Other weekend activities include large inflatables (starting 10/9), cow milking, hay rides, 4H groups, Christmas Shoppe, entertainment and music, Ricky’s BBQ, Roy’s Chicago Hot Dogs, taco stand, cotton candy and shave ice. Adobe Pumpkin Festival is October 16th & 17th, benefitting the Petaluma Educational Foundation. Farmers’ Day is October 23rd. Admission is free. Attractions are $2-$5. Check the website for more details.
Andersen’s Veggie and Pumpkin Patch
4588 Bodega Ave, Petaluma
(707) 529-1279
Already Open. 10 am – 6 pm daily through October.
The only Halloween train-ride in town. Pick your own pumpkins, 4-5 acre corn maze, hay rides, hay pyramid, and hay maze with tunnel. Offering a variety of pumpkins, gourds and organic vegetables. Visit soon to get some of their last melons of the season. On weekdays the train runs from 1-4pm. Admission free. Train ride, hay ride, and corn maze are $5 each. Enter the corn maze before 5pm.
Peterson’s Farm
636 Gossage Ave, Petaluma
(707) 765-4582
www.petersonsfarm.com
Opens October 2nd. 10 am–5 pm daily through October.
Family farm that is a favorite of families with small children. Pick your own pumpkin, visit the farm animals, and enjoy a picnic. They have a variety of pumpkins (including many that are good for cooking), honey, persimmons, tomatoes, free range eggs. All farm products are raised herbicide and pesticide free. Call for school or group tours.
Petaluma Pumpkin Patch and Amazing Corn Maze
550 Stony Point Rd, Petaluma
www.petalumapumpkinpatch.com
Opens October 1
Sunday–Thursday, 10 am–6 pm
Friday and Saturday, 10 am–10 pm
Closes 1 hour earlier after end of daylight savings time.
Visible from Highway One, this pumpkin patch is hard to miss. Over 50 varieties of pumpkins for cooking or carving, 4-acre A’Mazing corn maze (free for kids under 5, $6 for ages 6 and over), Saturday/Sunday “Night Maze” ($9, 6-10pm), shaded snack area, jumpies/inflatables (large ones on the weekends). Special events include pony rides, bake sales, rock climbing wall, animal demonstrations, and Pasta King pumpkin pie. Check the website for details. School tours available by reservation.
Peter Pumpkin Patch
@Spring Hill Jersey Farm
4235 Spring Hill Rd, Petaluma
(707) 762-3446
www.springhillcheese.com
Already open. 9 am–dusk daily through October.
All sorts of farm fun at this pumpkin patch. Every day of the week you can pick your own pumpkin, enjoy tractor rides, dig for potatoes, taste cheese, try fresh made ice cream, milk a cow, get lost in the hay maze, and climb the hay pyramid. On the weekends they will also have bands (call for details), stage coach rides, and the Pasta King serving lunch in the afternoons (last 2-3 weekends in Oct). Activities are free. School and group tours available by reservation.
Pumpkins on Pikes
@Tara Firma Farms
3796 I Street, Petaluma
(707) 765-1202
www.tarafirmafarms.com
October 23rd, 2pm-11pm
A unique pre-Halloween event; pick and carve your own pumpkin to place on one of the many pikes set throughout the farm. Bring your own instrument and join the Barn Jam Session. Enjoy food, fun, a bonfire, s’mores. Pumpkin lighting is at sunset. $10 per person, $20 per family, kids under 12 are free. Check out the video of last year’s event on their website.
Tolay Fall Festival
Tolay Lake Regional Park
Off Lakeville Hwy at Cannon Ln., Petaluma
(707) 565-2041
www.sonoma-county.org/parks/pk_tolay_fallfestival.htm
October 14–17 and 21–24
Thursday and Friday, 9 am–3 pm
Saturday and Sunday, 11 am–5 pm
A favorite annual event in our family. Enjoy the festivities within the beautiful setting of Tolay Park. Native American Village with demonstrations, children’s farm crafts, kiddie corral, Night Time Creatures Barn with Creepy Crawly Critters room, hay maze, hay bale pyramid, farm animals, and nature hikes. Take a ranger-led tractor ride to the pumpkin patch. Watch a blacksmith craft iron pieces. Participate in the World Record Pumpkin Seed Spitting Competition. Admission is $3 for ages 13 and up, $1 for ages 12 and under. Parking is $6 per car, or free with a park pass. See website for more details.
Ryan O’Shannan Farms
They have cancelled their pumpkin patch for this year. Maybe next year…
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