Pumpkin festival returns for 23rd year

EAST COUNTY — Twenty-three years ago, when her husband, David, told her about an idea to launch a family-friendly, country celebration, Kim Hunsader was immediately on board.

“I thought a family festival sounded like great idea,” Hunsader said. “I was really excited.”

The first event, held in 1991, featured 75 craft vendors and one wooden building the Hunsaders used to sell barbecue and sodas. Although she can’t remember how many people attended the inaugural festival, Hunsader knew the family’s harvest celebration was a success.

“When we saw how many people came — much more than we thought would — I thought, ‘Wow, this could really be something,’” Hunsader said.

This weekend, the Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival is back.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11-12, Oct. 18-19 and Oct. 25-26, the event is returning to the 1,000-acre East County farm, located at 5500 County Road 675, Bradenton.

Cost is $10 for adults and children 12 and younger are admitted for free. Parking at the farm is $5.

The 23rd annual Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival will feature more than 20 food and snack vendors, thousands of pumpkins for sale, a hayride, which is included in the admission price, and continuous live music and entertainment.

The event will offer BMX, motocross, motorcycle and other stunt shows for attendees in the west field, along with performances by The Spoon Man — a comedian who uses spoons as props in his routines.

A new feature this year, the old West Town of Waterbury, will be open to children and adults. The town made of wood consists of a saloon, Jimbob’s Wagon Shop, a jail and a bank.

The town’s name is after Waterbury Road, which is located near the East County property.

The lumberjack show will also return to the event after a three-year disappearance.

Although the event will feature soccer, basketball and other activities for families, the festival isn’t a fair, Hunsader said.

“It’s family-friendly and it’s country,” Hunsader said. “We have pumpkin tosses and pony rides; we stayed away from carnival games and rides.”

Food booths scattered throughout the 100 acres the festival occupies will offer a variety of options, from elephant ears and funnel cakes to Chinese and barbecue.

Also on the menu are options from a piece of the family’s history — a wooden structure next to The Country Club barn on the farm. The Eat Shack has been a part of the Hunsader family even before the event started in the early ’90s.

The Hunsaders found the Eat Shack on the property when they purchased it 47 years ago. The building was old and only had a small oven inside that brothers Jim and Bob Hunsader used to heat up their TV dinners on breaks from farm work.

After renovations, the family later started selling homemade pumpkin pies and other sweets to festivalgoers — a reminder of the event’s and family’s histories.

“The Eat Shack is our way of being a part of the festival,” Connie Hunsader said. “We offer family-made food at our family event. This is just a good time.”

IF YOU GO
Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11-12, Oct. 18-19 and Oct. 25-26

Where: Hunsader Farms, 5500 County Road 675, Bradenton

Cost: Admission is $10 for adults; children 12 and younger are admitted for free; corn maze is $2; pumpkins, food and other attraction prices vary.

Parking: $5 at the farm

Info: The pumpkin festival features family-friendly activities, such as a hayride and other games, along with food and drink vendors, craft booths and thousands of pumpkins from which to choose. Visit hunsaderfarms.com.

Events featured all three weekends
Performances by The Sweeney Family and Buffalo Country bands — Boogey Barn stage
Frog jumping championships — Kids’ Corner
Texas Jack Fulbright Trick Roper — Giant Pumpkin tent
Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show — Saloon stage
Farm-ly Feud Game Show — Saloon stage
Gunslinger Monster Truck Show — West field
Walker Bros. Circus — West field
Fearless Flores Motorcycle Stunts — West field

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].