Fall Fun for Everyone
BY: RACHEL WUMKES
Young or old, the amount of fall fun is the same for everyone at Plain Ol’ Pumpkins. They are kicking off their 5th year as North Iowa’s premier pumpkin patch, hoping it will be the best year yet. Their motto is simple, “The pumpkin brings you out. The experience brings you back.”
So very true!
Plain Ol’ Pumpkins is so much more than just a place to pick out your pumpkins for Halloween. They are a full-service pumpkin patch filled with all sorts of fun things to do. Each year, a new activity seems to sprout up as they continue to grow.
General admission into the pumpkin patch is $10 per person, with anyone 2 years old and younger getting in free. This fee includes the grain truck slide, wagon basketball, hay pyramid, corn maze, hay rack rides, pedal tractor course, corn pool, and pumpkin tic-tac-toe.
Plus, who can resist the photo opportunities? Gather your family and snag a photo at one of the many places to capture your memories forever.
But that’s not all… there’s more!
Smore kits are available for purchase inside the main building, which can be taken down by the fire pit for an ooey-gooey treat with your loved ones. Slingshot buckets are also for sale, where you can purchase 15 items (often apples or mini pumpkins) for $5 to use in the slingshot. You simply nestle the item into the resistance band and let that baby fly! Targets are strategically placed for those keeping score, but most people like to just shoot them for fun.
If you’re looking for a fall party space, check out their party room. It’s the perfect place to host a birthday party, shower, family gathering or work social. The room is available in 2-hour increments and seats 30 people. Call (515) 341-2822 or contact them at https://www.plainolpumpkins.com/contact to schedule.
Along with this, they’ve designated two Fridays, October 6th and 20th, to accommodate field trips. School classes, daycares, and homeschoolers are encouraged to register in advance to come and enjoy the pumpkin festivities as a group.
While they are known for providing hours of fall fun to the masses, it’s always good to spice things up each season. And this year, the team at Plain Ol’ Pumpkins has added zip lining! The “Flying Farmer Ziplines” will be a great addition to the pumpkin patch. They’ve also added a “pumpkin pick-up” option for those who don’t want to go trapsing through the field.
Lastly, they’ve rearanged things a bit, moving the entrance to between the two buildings. This allows for pumpkin wagons to be left at the entrance while guests get the car. They can pull right up and load their pumpkings… no more pulling wagon up the big hill. Hooray!
So, when does all this fall fun take place?
Opening weekend is September 23rd. Their hours are 9am – 5pm on Saturday, and Noon – 4pm on Sundays through October 29th. A concession stand is located inside the main building, along with ample opportunity to shop for fall décor, candles, and other items.
Besides the bits and bobs you can snack on inside; they have scheduled food trucks and other treats for each weekend of operation throughout the season. You can check out the full schedule on their events page.
We know the end of summer can bring about a bit of the blues here at the Lake, but you simply can’t be sad for long with all this fall fun right at your fingertips!
Plan to spend the cool autumn days outside in the warm sunshine at Plain Ol’ Pumpkins in Clear Lake, Iowa!