Armed with an inch-long sugar-coated stick, 10—year-old Grace Gerling and her sister, Lilly, stuck their hands in a bush full of purple flowers, waiting patiently to lure a butterfly.
Grace got one first. It was a Monarch. And Lilly giggled as another landed on her sister’s back.
It was fun quiet, moment, amidst a busy day at the 27th annual Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival. The girls, who live in Mill Creek, had already gone on rides, played carnival-style games, listened live music and more. Grace said she had already had fun but was even more excited about her family’s last adventure — picking out the perfect pumpkin.
“There are so many different kinds here,” she said. “I’m going to get a really big one.”
Thousands of visitors turned out Oct. 20 for the first weekend of the festival, which runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends through Oct. 28. Festivities include hayrides, a corn maze, live music and dance performance, frog-jumping contests, stunt shows, craft booths and more.
Eight-month-old Monroe Supple, of Mill Creek, spends time in the pumpkin patch as her mom, Katie, snaps photos.
Four-year-old Ronin Weiner, of Parrish, and her dad, Mike, find the perfect pumpkins.
Tampa 3-year-old Quinton Santaines moves the inflatable tube across water.
Siesta Key's Olivia Daley, 7, makes the inflatable tube roll itself across a water base.
Brandon's Jamir Roberts, pictured with his friend Jocelyn Watson, speed down the zip line as their families videotape the experience.
Six-year-old Teagan Zeitler, of Seminole, loves the hay maze so much she turns around when she finds the ending, just so she can complete it a second time.
Hundreds of guests try out the corn maze, this year themed to support farmers.
Apollo Beach resident Josephine Santucci, 9, slides her way to the corn maze.
Festival-goers make their way through the corn maze. It takes most people about 30 minutes to complete.
Brooksville's Maranda and Jack Carroll, with their daughter, Marianna, celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary with a trip to the festival Oct. 20.
Punta Gorda's 7-year-old Alexandria Muzio Ronpre likes a white-and-tan goat who likes to lick her fingers.
Atlanta, Ga. resident Candy Coveney attends the festival with longtime friend Kate Pope, of St. Petersburg. Kate Pope holds her son, Milo Pope.
Emma, Emmie and Zoey Brown find a shady spot while they wait for Patrick Brown to return with funnel cake. The family resides in Port Charlotte.
Ten-year-old Delilay Desimone, of Riverview, says it was "really cool" to hold butterflies.
Lon Crawford performs with The Big Z Band.
Mill Creek 10-year-old Grace Gerling has fun catching butterflies with her sister, Lilly, not pictured.
Lakewood Ranch's Tristan Fairchild can't stop dancing as he listens to The Big Z Band.
The Fabulous Two Tones' singers Franky Maio and Ricky Cusolito sings "Johnny B. Goode"
Nine-year-old Clearwater resident Samantha Sandoval is stoked about her 20-pound pumpkin and is eager to get it home.
Paul Esterline demonstrates how to forge a dinnerbell.
Bradenton's Josiah Estevez, in black, successfully jumps a frog 154 inches in the frog jumping contest. He avoided touching the creature, though.
Fort Myers resident Leah Benoit, 5, plays corn hole, one of the pumpkin charity games.
Lakewood Ranch High School stuents Ashleigh Angelo and Anna Banach man the "hillbilly fishing" game, benefiting the Children's Dream Fund at All Children's Hospital.
Hunsader Farms imports more than 15,000 pumpkins to sell each year at the festival.
