Fall Festival at Von Thun's this Weekend

As the leaves slowly begin to change ushering in a new season, Von Thun Farms will give Fall an official kickoff this weekend with the annual Fall Festival on Saturday and Sunday. The event will feature a wide variety of games and activities for the entire family.

"We've been doing this for 20 years and the biggest thing I hear, year after year from parents, is that it's a fun family day and something families use as a meeting place," said Cindy Von Thun. "We get families from South Jersey and North Jersey meeting up in Central Jersey to get together and do something that's kid oriented and family oriented."

This year's festival includes live country music by Nashville Attitude, the chance to meet friendly farm animals, clown shows, puppet shows, magic shows, balloon animals for the kids, an interactive Agricultural Education center and an interactive barnyard chicken show.

"We've had Nashville Attitude performing for us for the past 10 years and people really love them, which is why we keep bringing them back," Von Thun said. "People love being able to sit and eat some food listening to live music. We also have a guy who makes balloon art all day long and the kids absolutely love it."

The festival also features a few new attractions, with a live interactive chicken show involving chicken songs and jokes and a 40-foot long inflatable obstacle course for kids.

"Of course we also have the hayride, everybody wants to do the hayride because you can't do it all the time," Von Thun said. 

A returning favorite for the Fall at Von Thuns is the "Rutgers Corn Maize," a 6-acre, three-mile corn maze full of twists and turns, with games and riddles included along the way. The maze features a Rutgers football theme with different levels of help available for those who want a quick walk through the maze, or for those who want a real challenge, they can choose to receive no help.

The Fall Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The "Rutgers Corn Maize" is open through Oct. 30 on weekdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at , 505 Ridge Rd, Monmouth Junction.

The Fall Festival features:

Pick Your Own Apples – Hayrides – Food  - Pick Your Own Pumpkins - Vendors  - Live Country Music – Candy Art  - Tattoos – Sand Art – Pony Rides – Clowns - Moon Bounce – Pedal Courses – Farm Animals – Face Painting  Straw Maze – Puppet Shows – Rubber Duck Racing – Tricky Tray to benefit local animal rescue groups.