Oh, my gourd! Suburban pumpkin patches, fall fests offer autumn adventures

Suburban farms have rolled out a leaf-covered carpet for autumn with their fall festivals and pumpkin patches in full swing.

Pick out a perfect pumpkin, explore corn mazes, play games, shop for cider doughnuts, and take in live shows and entertainment. You can even visit a couple farms for family-friendly fun during the day and frights at night.

Before heading out, make sure visit the websites for up-to-date times and prices.

Abbey Farms

2855 Hart Road, Aurora, 630-966-7775, abbeyfarms.org/

Abbey Farms features 40 acres of pumpkins, a large corn maze, and a variety of activities for all ages, including tractor and hay wagon rides, zip lines, tractor tire hill, rope maze challenge, corn cannon, pedal track go-karts for kids and more. There is a petting zoo Saturdays and Sundays, food and drinks, and a country store selling cider doughnuts, preserves and fall gifts.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays; Oct. 31: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., no night maze.; closed Mondays and Tuesdays, but open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Columbus Day. Last park entry is permitted one hour before close, now through Nov. 1.

Cost: $21 online and $23 at the gate Saturdays and Sundays and Columbus Day; $17 online and $19 at the gate weekdays; $45 for a season pass; free for kids 2 and younger. Admission includes unlimited access to all activities. Fees for pumpkins, refreshments and the country store.

Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm

Pingree Grove: 42W813 Reinking Road, 847-464-5952, goebberts.com/; South Barrington: 40 W. Higgins Road, 847-428-6727, goebbertspumpkinfarm.com/fall-festival/

The Goebbert family has been running the fall fest at their South Barrington location since 1973 and at the Pingree Grove locale since 1985.

Activities for all ages at the South Barrington location include Animal Land, a haunted house, a giraffe barn, racing pigs, a corn stalk maze, a pumpkin-eating dinosaur, wagon rides, Little Farmer’s Play Yard, pumpkin tunnels, wall ball, duck derby, barnyard basketball and more. A candy cannon sprays sweet treats at 1 and 4 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Columbus Day.

In Pingree Grove, guests will find apple picking, wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, a pumpkin-eating dinosaur, Animal Land featuring a giraffe, train rides, a pumpkin slide, a corn maze, a carousel and many kid-friendly activities. Goebbert’s Farm Drive Thru Halloween Light Show and the Larsen Halloween Light Show (both located at Goebbert’s Farm-Pingree Grove) take place Fridays through Sundays through Oct. 31. Larsen's Halloween Light Show starts on the hour and half hour and runs for approximately 30 minutes. The Goebbert’s Drive Thru Show runs continuously and can be viewed either before or after Larsen’s show. Cost to see both shows is $30.

Details: Goebbert’s Fall Festival in South Barrington runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Nov. 1. Tickets are $20 on weekdays; $24 in advance online and $27 at the door on weekends and Columbus Day; and free for kids 2 and younger. Extra fees for animal rides ($8) and gem mining ($10-$25). Pingree Grove: Open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, through Oct. 30, and 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 31. Admission is $22 weekdays and $30 weekends.

Kuipers Family Farm

1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park, 815-827-5200, kuipersfamilyfarm.com/

Fall is the perfect time to visit Kuipers’ Pumpkin FunFarm, which features more than 30 attractions such as a pedal tractor derby, farm animals, hay wagon rides, a haunted trail, Jed’s Scream Shed, food and beverages, and live music and shows on weekends. And there’s still time to pick a bushel of apples from the U-Pic Apple Orchard.

Details: Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and Columbus Day, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays and Mondays, now through Nov. 1. Admission: $19.99 weekdays, $26.99 weekends and holidays; $11.99 for military personnel with military ID and seniors 65 and older.

Richardson Adventure Farm

909 English Prairie Road, Spring Grove, 815-675-9729, richardsonadventurefarm.com/

This year’s Richardson Adventure Farm “World’s Largest” corn maze design celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The maze is created out of four smaller mazes, with 9 to 10 miles of trail winding through 28 acres of corn. Each maze has its own in and out path, as well as various checkpoints throughout. Besides the maze and pumpkins, check out the 50-foot observation tower, wagon and train rides, zip lines, kids’ play area and more.

Details: Hours are 3-9 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. October weekday admission: $26 for 13 and older, $22 for kids 3-12; weekend: $32 for 13 and older, $26 for kids 3-12. Free for kids 2 and younger.

Sonny Acres Farm

29W310 North Ave., West Chicago, 630-231-3859, sonnyacres.com/

Plan a family outing to Sonny Acres Farm for its Fall Festival, which runs through Oct. 31. This annual event features amusement rides, hayrides, farm animals, seasonal foods, live entertainment and a pumpkin patch. At night, the farm turns into a fright fest with its Haunted Hayride and Haunted Barn Oct. 16-18, 22-25 and 29-30. Hours are 7-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 7-9 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $20; $38 for a combo Haunted Barn and Circus of Horrors Haunted Hayride package.

Details: Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and Columbus Day; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $10 at the gate Fridays through Sundays and free for kids 12 and younger. Each paid guest receives one free ride ticket. Admission is free Tuesday through Thursday, with unlimited ride wristbands and individual ride tickets for purchase.

Stade’s Farm and Market

3709 Miller Road, McHenry, 815-675-6396, stadesfarmandmarket.com/fall-festival/

Stade’s Farm has been celebrating its Shades of Autumn festival since 1997. This year’s event runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, and features pumpkin picking, hayrides, pedal cars, a barn and playhouse, a petting zoo, mazes, apple cannons, hamster run, Stade’s Farm Express Train farm tour and more.

Details: Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Columbus Day. Cost is $16 for 3-59 and $8 for seniors 60 and older on Fridays; $20 for 3-59 and $10 for seniors on Saturdays and Sundays; free for kids 2 and younger.

Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm

17250 Weber Road, Lockport, 815-741-2693, ourpumpkinfarm.com/

Siegel’s is a fourth generation family farm operated year-round. It features more than 49 attractions for both kids and adults, plus farm animals, food and beverage venues and more. Walk the 10-acre corn maze, take part in carnival-style games, pick a perfect pumpkin, take a wagon ride, or visit the Ghost Town Railroad and Golden Gulch Gem Mine.

Details: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Nov. 1. Tickets are $19.95 for weekdays and $29.95 for weekends and Columbus Day. All-inclusive weekend tickets are $41.95. Free for kids younger than 2.