Pick-a-Pumpkin festival returns to Field of Dreams

THE Down Syndrome Cork Field of Dreams Pick-a-Pumpkin Festival is back this weekend, and next weekend.

Debbie Kelleher, care co-ordinator at Field of Dreams, told The Echo the festival was a great fundraiser for the charity, and she said she was hoping the public would support it as much as possible again this year.

“It’s a nice family fun occasion and I do think our unique selling point is we actually do grow the pumpkins on site,” she said. “A lot of our visitors have never actually seen a field of pumpkins growing before. We have around 800 pumpkins ready.”

This year’s festival takes place on Sunday, October 8, and Sunday, October 15, from 10am to 3.30pm, with a range of time slots available.

Participants are invited to the Pumpkin Patch at the Field of Dreams on the Clash Road in Curraheen, to pick their own pumpkin.

There will be a range of Halloween-themed activities taking place on both days, including a pumpkin trail around the site with stops along the way including the haunted cabin, the outdoor games area, the sheep pen, the Halloween photo booth, the arts and crafts area, and the pumpkin patch. There will be scary songs and stories, (temporary) Halloween tattoos and the Pumpkin Café will be open all day.

The festival will feature three ticket types this year: There is a family/group ticket costing €32.50 (plus fees) that will include entry for four people and will allow them to take away one pumpkin; a pumpkin ticket will cost €20 (plus fees) and will include entry for one person and one pumpkin, and an entry ticket will cost €5 (plus fees) and includes entry only for one person and does not include a pumpkin.

Children aged under two go free but parents must purchase a family/group or pumpkin ticket to enter the Pumpkin Patch and to pick a pumpkin.

Tickets are available on Eventbrite only. For more information, check out the Field of Dreams Eventbrite page or contact paul.ahern@downsyndromecork.ie.