Pumpkin Festival at Pennywell Farm

The pumpkin festival is not a separate ticket here. Any day ticket across the season includes it, so the patch, the golden pumpkin trail, live music, marshmallow toasting, pumpkin games and the run of autumn photo spots all come with ordinary admission. Only the pumpkins themselves are extra, priced by size.

What that admission buys is a full farm day rather than a field. Every activity, show, ride and play area is included, and something new starts every half hour, from meeting the farmer first thing to saying goodnight to the pets at 3.30pm. Ferret racing, pig feeding, bottle feeding, goat milking, meeting the hedgehog, goat walking and deer feeding all appear on the timetable, and the miniature pig racing runs at 12.30pm.

Three rides are included, and there are indoor and outdoor play areas for when the weather turns. The farm also runs a Rainy Day Guarantee: if it rains for more than 30 minutes, you are offered a free return visit.

Numbers are capped each day and every ticket must be booked online in advance, including the free ticket for children under 90cm tall, which the farm needs in order to count them. There is accessible parking and there are accessible toilets, along with a gift shop and food outlets on site.

Pumpkin Nights is a separate evening event, with the patch after dark, live music, a tractor and trailer ride, indoor and outdoor play, themed games and photo spots. Entry is by a timed arrival slot chosen when you book and the evening finishes at 9pm; pumpkins, food and drink are bought on the night rather than included.