Audio By Carbonatix
The ground isn’t strewn with pale-amber leaves, the wind hasn’t become crisp, and curling up by the fire sounds more torturous than cozy. Summer is still vying for attention, so how else would we know Halloween is coming without the third-annual Coconut Grove Pumpkin Patch Festival? Got imagination? A patch of 5,000 pumpkins at Peacock Park (2820 McFarlane Rd., Miami) awaits a decorating station, where you’ll find paint, markers, stickers, and glitter to deck out those blank-squash canvases.
A ticket for this Saturday or Sunday costs $10 to $15 and gives kids unlimited access to all carnival rides, as well as the chance to explore the petting zoo, unleash their eccentricity in the Dress-Your-Own-Scarecrow Village, and escape into the Hay Bale Maze. Both days’ events run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, event sponsors are eager to give away merchandise, and the main stage invites families under its jumbo tent to view free performances. Parents in need of R&R may find solace in the Pumpkin Beer Garden. In addition to typical fairground snacks such as hot dogs, burgers, and fries, the Pumpkin Food Court is a mecca for sweet and savory pumpkin cuisine, including squash, quiche, pies, cakes, crepes, and kebabs. Call 877-471-8499 or visit coconutgrovepumpkinpatch.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the gate.
Sat., Oct. 4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 2014
