The pumpkins are coming!
Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s annual PumpkinFest, a Southern California tradition, will host fall fun with activities and pumpkins galore on weekends from Oct. 10 – Oct. 31. The family-friendly event, which is hosted at the university’s Kellogg Ranch by the Huntley College of Agriculture, marks 33 years with 30,000 university-grown pumpkins and a variety of activities.
Visitors can celebrate fall in the gigantic pumpkin field, find the perfect pumpkin, and enjoy hay rides, the corn maze, the petting farm, food and crafts vendors, the cow train pulled by an antique tractor, the Jr. Farmers Discovery Zone with a mini corn maze, and the sunflower patch. From the pumpkins in the field to the activities throughout the festival, Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ students plan, design, and operate PumpkinFest.
“PumpkinFest is student learning on display. Our students are the ones bringing the experience to life and welcoming the community to Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ. They’re growing crops, caring for the animals, creating educational experiences, and helping produce the largest community event in the California State University system. PumpkinFest is where our community gets to see what it means to Become by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ,” Kellogg Ranch Director Lisa Christie said.
Students Lead Planning
Reagan Wheeler, a fifth-year senior in plant science, is taking the lead in planning the Insect Festival weekend (Oct. 17-18) at PumpkinFest.
The La Quinta native has worked at Kellogg Ranch for a year, helping to plant, irrigate, and harvest crops as part of the farm crew.
Planning the Insect Festival is a challenge: it’s the first time that PumpkinFest will have an insect event since 2019. Wheeler is trying to rebuild connections with exhibitors and other vendors.
“We haven’t had the Insect Festival in so long,” she said. “People are trying to learn about it again.”
Nevertheless, Wheeler sees that the experience will help her in the future. She hopes to work at botanical gardens, which often have public and community education events.
“I feel like I’m gaining experience connecting with other organizations,” Wheeler said. “It will have immediate, transferrable skills doing events in another job.”
Ethan Hauk, a third-year urban planning student from Anaheim, created the site map for PumpkinFest. He took field measurements for parking and planting areas and worked on making sure crowds will circulate smoothly throughout the site.
“This was my first time doing planning outside of class,” Hauk said.
It’s a practical, hands-on learning experience that he has already added to his résumé. Hauk, who has worked at Kellogg Ranch for more than a year, hopes to start his own development company.
“I think it’s just a great starting point. It will help me get jobs in the future,” he said about his PumpkinFest experience. “I’m getting some real practice with leadership.”
New This Year at PumpkinFest
New attractions will include themed weekends:
- 10-11: Pumpkinzania - Kick off PumpkinFest with a weekend celebrating all things pumpkin! Explore pumpkin-themed activities, hands-on demonstrations, family-friendly displays, crafts, and interactive experiences led by Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ students and programs throughout the farm.
- 17-18: Insect Festival - Discover the fascinating world of insects during Insect Festival Weekend presented by the Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Department of Plant Science. Guests can enjoy live insect displays, educational demonstrations, hands-on activities, crafts, and opportunities to learn about insects, agriculture, pollinators, and the ecosystems around us.
- 24-25: Indigenous Agriculture Weekend - Celebrate Indigenous agriculture, foodways, culture, and knowledge through demonstrations, educational displays, hands-on activities, and presentations from the San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians. Guests can learn about traditional agricultural practices and the continuing role of Indigenous knowledge in food and farming and shop at Indigenous artisanal vendors.
- 31: Halloween at PumpkinFest - Celebrate Halloween at PumpkinFest with a full day of family-friendly fall fun. Enjoy Halloween-themed activities, crafts, demonstrations, festive displays, costumes, and special experiences throughout the farm while exploring all the traditional PumpkinFest attractions.
In addition, PumpkinFest will feature student club booths, along with food trucks and vendors curated by 909 Open Market. Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ student musical groups also will perform live throughout the month.
For the first time ever, guests will also get a special preview of the flowers being grown for the Cal Poly Universities Rose Parade float, a collaboration between Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, before they make their way to Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses Parade.
Mariposa Horticultural Enterprises Inc., which is owned by alumnus Terry Noriega (’79, ornamental horticulture), is sponsoring this year’s PumpkinFest.
Admission & Ticket Information
General admission is $18 per person online, or $22 per person at the gate. Families can save $3 per ticket with the Family 4-Pack Bundle, which is available for purchase online only.
Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ students can purchase a one-day pass for $8 or a $20 season pass good for all seven days of PumpkinFest. Students can only purchase the pass at the Farm Store with a Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ student ID.
Tickets include admission to all PumpkinFest attractions. Pumpkins and Petting Farm feed cups will cost extra. Pumpkin prices will range from $5 and up, depending on size and variety. Specialty pumpkins, gourds, and gigantic pumpkins are available from the Farm Store.
Parking is free this year. Parking is available in the main field with overflow parking in Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ parking lots across West Temple Avenue from the PumpkinFest. Accessible parking will remain adjacent to the event, in Lot U on South Campus Drive.
The fall festivities take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-31,
at Kellogg Ranch, in front of the Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Farm Store (4102 S. University Drive, Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, CA, 91768).
Purchase your tickets in advance online at .
Field Trips
In addition to PumpkinFest, Kellogg Ranch will host thousands of schoolchildren on field trips to the pumpkin patch with their classroom, Scout troops, and other community groups. Field trip sign-ups for are now being accepted. To reserve a spot or for more information on field trips, visit /pumpkinfestival/field-trips.shtml.
This year, U.S. Bank is sponsoring 100 students from Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Unified School District, allowing them to attend on field trips.
All PumpkinFest and field trip proceeds help support the Cal Poly Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Huntley College of Agriculture’s farm operations, student clubs, and outreach activities.