Falling into Fun at Cox Farms

I long for this time of year. A change in season marked my autumn air, pumpkins galore, and fall festivals in full swing.

This past weekend I went to for the preview of their Fall Festival – this is the sort of family fun I live for so we planned to arrive at the opening time of 10 a.m.

My good spirits were about to be squashed when I saw the long line of cars awaiting entry to the event grounds. With a cranky toddler in the back, I rolled along for several long minutes questioning how long I could maintain my patients. Fortunately, perhaps knowing most every car had at least one cranky child in the back seat, they opened a second entrance, and we were in a parking spot in no time.

My daughter was enamored before we even got to the ticket counter. First, she was in love with the mere sight of the wind mill so we needed to stop and look at that for a while. Then she spotted a member of the farm staff in full pig costume. We coaxed her along, and I wondered if we’d ever make it inside.

Once we paid and made it past the gates, we meandered through the sprawling grounds, and I was happy I brought the stroller if even just to carry my things.

There was something for parents and children alike – hay rides, giant slides, farm animals and food! After seeing many of the animals, we spent a lot of time in the “Kiddie Zone” where everything is geared for young children. My daughter joined several other toddlers under a spray of bubbles emanating from a bubble machine before spotting the wooden choo-choo train, where she hopped in and out of every car. She climbed to the top of a bumpy slide with Daddy, and I caught her at the end. We finally had to lure her from the “sand” pits filled with corn – I think she could have sat in there for hours feeling the hard kernels fall from her hands.

When it was snack time, we just walked over to the apple stand. Barrels were filled with three varieties of apples with sample dispensers of apple cider on the side. Now full of energy, we followed our ears to the stage where a band played live music and children danced on a wooden dance floor in the center of the largest picnic area on the grounds.

On our way out we picked out some pumpkins for our front porch; decoration that will further welcome the fall season to our home.

The Cost: $15 per person on weekends and Columbus Day / $9 on weekdays. Children under 2 are free. Discounts may be available to those who register on the Cox Farms website.

The Basics: Fall Festival is an annual family-friendly event offering activities such as hay rides, giant slides, farm animals, rope swings, a pumpkin patch, live music, and more. The festival will be open daily Sept. 24 thorough Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last entry at 5 p.m.