This California Farm Turns Into A Giant Fall Festival With A Huge Pumpkin Patch And Five Themed Weekends

By October, this farm is no longer pretending to be a normal farm. It has gone full fall.

A huge pumpkin patch becomes the backdrop for a California celebration that keeps changing personality across five themed weekends, giving families a reason to return.

One weekend might lean playful, another may bring a completely different atmosphere, and the farm keeps finding new ways to make the harvest feel bigger than a simple pumpkin run.

Bring the kids. Bring a camera. Bring somebody who insists they are “just looking” and will absolutely leave carrying a pumpkin.

This is not the quiet side of autumn.

It is the loud, colorful, slightly over-the-top version that makes fall feel like an event.

The Gigantic Pumpkin Patch And Its Many Varieties

Orange stretches in every direction once the harvest festival opens, and the pumpkin selection is the reason many families make the drive in the first place.

The patch holds a wide range of pumpkins, from small palm-sized ones to heavy specimens that need two people and a wagon to move.

Alongside the traditional round orange kind, shoppers often find warty varieties, pale white pumpkins, flat heirloom shapes, and gourds in odd colors.

Pumpkins are priced separately from admission, and larger or rarer ones can carry noticeably higher price tags, so checking signage before falling in love with a giant one saves some surprise at checkout.

Pull wagons are available on a first-come, first-served basis, though bringing a personal wagon or stroller is welcome and often easier during busier hours.

Underwood Family Farms sets up its festival at the Moorpark Farm Center, located at 3370 Sunset Valley Rd, Moorpark, CA 93021.

Near the patch sits a pumpkin house and corn stalk structures that give younger kids something to climb through while adults compare stems and shapes.

Ground conditions shift with the weather, so closed shoes handle the dirt far better than sandals.

Morning light works well for photos here, and 9:00 AM can be a less crowded arrival time before school tours spread out across the farm.

Bringing a hat, water, and sunscreen keeps the browsing comfortable, since shade in the patch itself is limited.

Five Themed Weekends That Change The Whole Mood

Each weekend of the festival carries its own personality, which means two visits in October rarely feel the same.

The lineup opens with Friends of the Farm Weekend, also called Public Safety Weekend, on September 26 and 27.

That’s when emergency first responders and active military personnel receive free admission by showing valid identification at the gate.

Farm Country Weekend follows on October 3 and 4, leaning into everyday farm life and demonstrations.

Antique Tractor Weekend on October 10 and 11 brings out historical machinery, which tends to draw both curious kids and adults who grew up around older equipment.

Wild West Weekend lands on October 17 and 18, and All About Pumpkins Weekend closes the themed run on October 24 and 25.

Halloween Day on October 31 marks the final day of the whole festival.

Weekend admission includes live bands, animal shows, pig races, themed demonstrations, and roaming entertainers, none of which run on weekdays.

Pricing shifts by weekend, with the first two weekends offering pre-sale tickets at $25 until September 23, standard online admission at $30, and day-of admission at $34 when space allows.

Later themed weekends and Halloween Day sit at $34 online and $38 day-of.

Weekend tickets must be bought online in advance, since walk-in entry is not guaranteed.

Wagon Rides, Corn Mazes, And Play Areas Covered By Admission

Plenty of the day fills itself once a ticket is scanned, because general admission opens the door to a long list of attractions spread across the property.

Tractor-drawn wagon rides loop through the fields and give a real sense of how large the growing area actually is.

The animal center holds various farm animals, and the corn maze plus a corn stalk labyrinth, which begins October 3, add a bit of wandering for older kids.

Climbing structures include hay pyramids, slides shaped like a cotton harvester and a combine, a wooden train, a school bus, swings, barrel horses, a fun hill, and a firetruck.

Giant tractor displays and oversized spider decorations sit near photo spots scattered through the grounds.

A misting tunnel offers relief on warmer afternoons, which matters since early autumn heat in the area can still feel strong.

Pick-your-own fruits, vegetables, and flowers stay open during the festival, and no reservations are needed, though picked produce is weighed and paid for separately at checkout.

Some hands-on extras, like certain rides and close animal encounters, use separately purchased tickets rather than being folded into admission.

Bringing a few dollars in small bills or quarters helps with animal feed and ticket-based activities.

Festival Food Booths, Farm Markets, And Snack Carts

Smells of roasted corn and grilled meat drift across the grounds on busy weekends, and the food setup is built for casual eating between activities.

Weekend booths serve tri-tip sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, and roasted corn, with additional options that often include fish tacos, chicken strips, loaded potatoes, quesadillas, shaved ice, and kettle corn.

Fall standbys like donuts and pumpkin pie usually appear as well, which pairs naturally with a pumpkin-picking afternoon.

Weekday visitors will find fewer choices, with the farm listing a light menu of sandwiches, hot dogs, smoothies, coffee, and snacks.

Drinks and snacks are also sold at the farm markets, the country store, and Snack Shacks around the property.

Outside coolers are not permitted anywhere on the grounds, so planning around on-site food or a small packed snack in a standard backpack or diaper bag makes more sense.

Seating tends to be picnic-style and shade varies, so eating slightly before or after the typical lunch rush usually means an easier time finding a spot.

Prices reflect event-style concessions rather than everyday farm stand costs, something worth budgeting for with a larger group.

The farm market itself stays worth a stop for fresh produce, pickled items, local honey, nuts, juices, dried beans, farm eggs, and cut flowers.

Pick Your Own Fields Go Beyond The Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkins may get most of the attention in October, but they are only part of what visitors can gather during a day at the farm.

Admission includes entry to Underwood Family Farms’ Pick Your Own fields, where seasonal fruits, vegetables, and flowers can be available for harvesting.

Anything picked is purchased separately, so it helps to think of this as an optional addition rather than another attraction covered by the festival ticket.

Availability changes throughout the season because this is still a working farm.

That unpredictability can make the experience more interesting, especially for kids who have never pulled vegetables or selected produce directly from a field.

The farm spreads across roughly 50 acres of open festival space, giving visitors plenty of room to explore beyond the central pumpkin displays.

A tractor-drawn wagon ride can also help families get a better look at the growing areas without immediately committing to a long walk.

Anyone planning to pick should leave some room in the car for the trip home.

A pumpkin or two can already take up plenty of space, and adding freshly harvested produce can quickly turn a simple festival visit into a full farm haul.

Animal Encounters Add Another Layer To The Day

The Animal Center gives families a reason to step away from the pumpkin patch and spend some time meeting the farm’s residents.

Visits to the Animal Center are included with festival admission, and animals can be seen every day of the event.

Underwood also schedules animal-focused entertainment, including its chicken show, while additional animal shows take place on weekends.

Some closer encounters work differently. Activities such as animal petting and duck feeding require separate tickets, so families should expect a few optional expenses beyond general admission.

That setup makes it easy to choose how much of the day revolves around animals. Younger children may happily spend a large chunk of the visit here, while older kids can move on toward the maze, slides, or rides.

The animal area also reinforces the fact that this is more than a temporary pumpkin display placed on an empty field.

Underwood operates as a working farm throughout the year, with its Moorpark location offering an Animal Center and Pick Your Own experiences outside the fall festival as well.

On especially busy weekends, visiting the animals earlier in the morning can also provide a calmer start before the main entertainment schedule gets going.

The Farm Is Packed With Fall Photo Stops

Anyone trying to leave with a good family photo has plenty of chances before reaching the actual pumpkin patch.

Underwood includes photo opportunities throughout the Fall Harvest Festival, with pumpkin displays, a Pumpkin House, a harvest basket display, tractors, and other seasonal decorations.

The pumpkin selection itself adds even more variety.

During All About Pumpkins Weekend, the farm highlights an extensive collection that includes pale pumpkins, miniature varieties, oversized types, unusual shapes, gourds, winter squash, and decorative corn.

That means families do not necessarily need to crowd around one elaborate backdrop. A wagon beside a field or a pile of unusually shaped pumpkins can work just as well.

Earlier hours generally offer easier opportunities to stop for pictures before the busiest weekend crowds arrive.

Late-afternoon light can be appealing too, although families staying that long should leave enough time to carry pumpkins back toward checkout before the 6:00 PM closing time.

Bringing a stroller or personal wagon can be especially useful when children, pumpkins, bags, and everything collected during the day suddenly need to make the same trip back to the parking lot.

Planning The Visit: Timing, Tickets, Parking, And Farm Rules

A little planning changes this outing from hectic to genuinely relaxed, especially for families with small children.

Gates run 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily from September 26 through October 31, and arriving at 9:00 AM can be less crowded even though mornings may become busy with school tours.

Weekdays generally feel quieter, with afternoons recommended by the farm as a good time to visit, while Fridays are the most popular weekdays.

Weekday general admission in October is $16.00 per person and sold at the gate only, since online weekday tickets are not offered.

Children under two enter free, and parking is always free in the large dirt lot next to the entrance.

Seniors 65 and older, military personnel, veterans, and emergency first responders receive a $2 daily discount with valid ID; discounted weekend tickets must be purchased online before showing ID at the gate.

Strollers and wagons roll fine across most of the property, and porta-potties with hand washing stations are placed around the grounds.

Because this remains a fully working farm, terrain can turn dusty or muddy depending on recent weather, so sensible shoes matter more than style.

Dogs and other outside animals are not allowed, with ADA service animals as the only exception, and emotional support or therapy animals do not qualify.

Smoking, e-cigarettes, weapons, and coolers are all prohibited on the grounds.