Grand opening of Sinkland Farms’ pumpkin festival is Sept. 29-30
Pumpkins at Sinkland Farm's 20th-annual pumpkin festival come pre-picked, or families can select their own pumpkins, squash and gourds from the patch. Photo courtesy of Sinkland Farms
Pumpkins rocketing through the air, a 10-foot-tall corn maze, local live music, hayrides to the pumpkin patch, and so much more—Sinkland Farms opens its 20th-annual pumpkin festival with classic family-favorite activities and exciting new additions on Sept. 29-30.
To accommodate all the fun, the area’s longest-running pumpkin festival will be open for five weekends from Sept. 29 through Oct. 30. This year’s grand opening weekend features a sky show with man-size rockets launched every hour by the New River Valley Rocketry Association in the first public regional launch of rockets.
A morning 5K run around the 125-acre farm Sept. 29 will kickoff the start of activities. The walk/run, with a fee of $15 to benefit the Auburn High School volleyball team — always a state-champion contender — is open to kids/adults of all ages. Check-in will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., and the race begins at 10 a.m. The route will take you around the pumpkin fields and meadows of the farm. Pre-registered participants receive a T-shirt.
Sinkland Farms is bringing back the sound of the Statler Brothers, who dispersed a few years back, with two of the original brothers performing with High Country, a new group from Staunton, on Sept. 29 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the barn pavilion. If you miss this performance, you can always hear some of the best, regional music performing every weekend afternoon from 1 to 4 p.m.
An outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” an immortal tale of love and hate, with a modern twist will be performed outdoors under the stars Sept. 27-30. The drama will be full of dances, fights and some of the greatest love poetry ever written. Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday’s show begins at 2 p.m. Please bring your lawn chairs and blankets in case of cool weather.
Children’s activities will include hayrides to the pumpkin patch, pony/cart rides, a barnyard full of farm animals, inflatable fun and a mechanical bull from Dave’s Moonwalks, and more. Home to the oldest corn maze in the state, Sinkland Farms’ 2012 maze is called “the witches cauldron.” As always, Sinkland posts fun facts to read in your walk through the corn paths, and this year you will learn some facts on farmers and farming.
Virginia’s finest pumpkins are available pre-picked, or families can enjoy selecting their own pumpkins, squash and gourds from the patch. We have colorful face painting for the little ones; local arts and crafts vendors; plenty of tasty, southern-style food; the best Kettle Korn in the country; and ice cream.
Local live music will be performed every weekend afternoon, and flash mob experiences could occur at any time, as well as visits by the 20-foot-tall Hokietron and many other special features.
The festival welcomes visitors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays every weekend through the month of October. The corn maze is also open after dark from 5 to 8 p.m. on weekends.
Parking costs $5 and includes access to music, special weekend attractions, visits with the animals and some children’s activities. Additional prices apply to other activities.
Sinkland Farms is located at 3020 Riner Road, just outside of Christiansburg. Take Interstate 81 to Exit 114 and travel south on Route 8 toward Riner/Floyd for 2.2 miles. The farm is on the left. For more information, visit www.sinklandfarms.com or call 382-4640.
– Submitted by Julia Bennett, Sinkland Farms
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