- May 5, 2024
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Camila McMahon, 3, looks over the pumpkins available.
Photo by Ian SwabyCapri Trukhlinskry, 3, enjoys the pony ride with help from her father, Bogdan Trukhlinsky.
Photo by Ian SwabyThe festival offered pumpkins in all shapes and sizes.
Photo by Ian SwabyClancey Hernandez cares for one of the farm's 2-day old piglets, which was rejected by its litter of 8 due to its small size.
Photo by Ian SwabyEdward Stoll, 10, tries out the zipline.
Photo by Ian SwabyGuests at the event had the chance to meet Cringer, a female alligator, an animal ambassador of Big Cat Habitat.
Photo by Ian SwabyCrochet items are placed on display.
Photo by Ian SwabyLea Beckley, Matthew Sparks and Nathan Ho were having an excellent time at the pumpkin festival.
Photo by Ian SwabyOceana Manzano, 6, holds a piglet.
Photo by Ian SwabyOliver Harshbarger holds a goat.
Photo by Ian SwabyGator John Kenyon of Big Cat Habitat introduces one of the organization's animal ambassadors, Cringer, to Brooke Lord.
Photo by Ian SwabyEaston Butcher and Sabrina Funsch participate in pumpkin painting.
Photo by Ian SwabyScarlett Salinger, 5, holds a butterfly.
Photo by Ian SwabySue Norris sold branded cups at the event.
Photo by Ian SwabyAlly Glauser, Vallen Glauser, 4, Daniel Glauser and Ava Glauser, 1
Photo by Ian SwabyStarla Wilson and Sage Wilson, 2, pet a skunk.
Photo by Ian SwabyStella Major, 5, enjoys the rock climbing.
Photo by Ian SwabyGuests had the chance to get up-close with piglets at the farm, among other animals.
Photo by Ian SwabyA series of stone items are set out for purchase.
Photo by Ian SwabyMacy Purmort, 11, Brody Purmort, 8, and Natalie Purmort, 3, hold a skunk.
Photo by Ian SwabyLayla Collis and Hannah Noake, 10, hold a piglet.
Photo by Ian SwabyA series of ceramic animals are on sale at the event.
Photo by Ian SwabyTammy Karp, Shak and Taylor Teymuri, 13-month-old Taylor Teymuri and Sarah Renkliyuz
Photo by Ian SwabyA wide range of pumpkins were on offer.
Photo by Ian SwabyAfter Sarasota's Sue Norris and her husband and two children began branding cups in 2020, they found outlets in the local community.
That included the Annual Pumpkin Festival at Fruitville Grove, where they said guests remember them and return to their stand each year.
"It's nice because it doesn't cost much and there's lots for families to do," Sue Norris said of the festival. "Even I spent time over with the baby animals."
The Annual Pumpkin Festival, which takes place each weekend Saturday and Sunday until Oct. 29, offers a variety of activities for the family, as well as support for the local community.
On Oct. 8, kids and families could be seen enjoying the variety of pumpkins, a hay play area, a free circus, and many other activities; meeting animals that included baby piglets, skunks, butterflies, and even a unicorn; and finally enjoying food and refreshments, from corn dogs to candy apples.
"We come here every year," said Steve Major, who said said his family is drawn to festival by activities for the kids, the food, and the chance to support local vendors.
Meanwhile, the community also found support, as guests had the chance to shop a craft section featuring about 80 vendors from the local area offering crocheting, jewelry, figurines and more.
"We've been very, very busy," said Connie Howard, a Sarasota crochet artist who operates Toys by Connie. "They went really fast. I even sewed some of them here."
