8 North Carolina Pumpkin Patches With Food Festivals Every Halloween

Fall in North Carolina brings crisp air, colorful leaves, and the beloved tradition of visiting pumpkin patches. Across the state, family farms transform into autumn wonderlands complete with delicious food festivals that celebrate the harvest season. These eight pumpkin patches offer more than just the perfect orange gourd – they create unforgettable Halloween memories with farm-fresh foods, seasonal treats, and festive activities for visitors of all ages.

1. Page Farms: Raleigh’s Fourth-Generation Family Festival

Hayrides rumble past rows of perfect pumpkins at Page Farms, where four generations of farming expertise create an authentic harvest experience. The aroma of freshly baked apple cider donuts fills the air as families navigate the sprawling 5-acre corn maze.

Weekend food festivals showcase local chefs preparing farm-to-table meals using ingredients grown right on the property. Kids especially love the petting zoo and tractor rides between sampling caramel apples and hot chocolate.

Open from September 20 through November 2, admission ranges from $12-15 depending on the day you visit.

2. Naylor Family Farm: Fuquay-Varina’s Harvest Celebration

The massive 7-acre corn maze at Naylor Family Farm serves as the backdrop for one of the region’s most anticipated food festivals. Local food trucks circle the property like covered wagons, offering everything from pulled pork sandwiches to pumpkin ice cream.

Weekend visitors can participate in pumpkin cooking demonstrations where chefs transform ordinary gourds into extraordinary dishes. The farm’s signature apple butter, made in giant copper kettles, sells out every season.

Bring your appetite and $20 for admission to this Fuquay-Varina tradition running September through early November.

3. Crossroads Corn Maze: Wendell’s Farm-to-Fork Experience

Smoke rises from barbecue pits at Crossroads Corn Maze, where weekend food festivals celebrate North Carolina’s culinary heritage. Farmers and chefs collaborate on seasonal menus featuring pumpkin soup, roasted corn, and apple cobbler that draw visitors from across the state.

Between bites, families navigate the 5-acre corn maze or challenge each other to giant Jenga tournaments. Children squeal with delight during hayrides that loop around the property’s pumpkin fields.

For $14-17 admission, you’ll get a take-home pumpkin and access to all the farm fun from October 4-27, Friday through Sunday only.

4. DJ’s Berry Patch: Apex’s Free-Entry Food Paradise

Unlike most festival venues, DJ’s Berry Patch offers free admission to their pumpkin patch and weekend food celebrations. The farm’s kitchen creates small-batch pumpkin butter, apple preserves, and berry jams that customers drive hours to purchase.

Local bakers set up shop with homemade pies, breads, and seasonal pastries that pair perfectly with the farm’s famous hot apple cider. Decorative gourds and chrysanthemums create a picture-perfect backdrop for family photos.

Visit Monday through Saturday (9am-6pm) or Sunday (11am-6pm) to experience this hidden gem in Apex without spending a dime on entry.

5. The Family Farm on Avent Ferry: Holly Springs’ Sixth-Generation Feast

Six generations of farming wisdom infuse every aspect of this Holly Springs institution. Weekend harvest festivals feature grandmother’s secret recipe pumpkin bread alongside modern interpretations of farm classics by up-and-coming chefs.

Children can feed farm animals while parents sample pumpkin beer from local breweries under twinkling string lights. The farm’s signature roasted corn on the cob, slathered with herb butter, creates lines that stretch across the property.

This working farm offers a genuine connection to North Carolina’s agricultural roots, open weekends throughout October with special evening events featuring live music and seasonal cocktails.

6. Briley’s Farm Market: Greenville’s Harvest Wonderland

The giant tube slide at Briley’s Farm Market sends children squealing with delight between bites of pumpkin fudge and apple fritters. This Greenville institution transforms into a food lover’s paradise each fall, with cooking competitions that pit local chefs against one another in pumpkin-themed challenges.

Visitors can watch as master carvers transform ordinary pumpkins into works of art while sampling fall-inspired dishes. The sunflower maze provides the perfect backdrop for Instagram-worthy food photos.

Your admission includes a pumpkin of your choice and access to all festival activities from late September through early November.

7. Odom Farming Company: Goldsboro’s Harvest Market Extravaganza

The scent of kettle corn mingles with barbecue smoke at Odom Farming Company, where the annual Harvest Market brings together over 50 food vendors and artisans. Families wander between sunflower fields and pumpkin patches with plates piled high with seasonal delicacies.

Farm-to-table dinners, held under the stars on select October weekends, feature five-course meals prepared with ingredients harvested that morning. Children can participate in pumpkin cooking classes while parents sample craft beverages from eastern North Carolina producers.

Open until November 5, with the special Harvest Market event on October 15 from 10am to 4pm.

8. Mike’s Farm: Beulaville’s Saturday Spectacular

Fiddle music drifts across the pumpkin fields at Mike’s Farm, where ‘Saturdays on the Farm’ events have become legendary in eastern North Carolina. The farm’s restaurant serves family-style country feasts featuring fried chicken, country ham, and seasonal sides that draw crowds from across the state.

Between meals, visitors can select perfect pumpkins while sampling freshly pressed apple cider and homemade pumpkin fudge. Hayrides transport families to the back forty where campfires and storytellers share local legends.

Each October weekend brings new food themes, from German Oktoberfest to Southern harvest traditions with demonstrations by heritage cooking experts.