BY MARISSA CASTANOS
Pa’s Pumpkin Patch is the best place in town for fall aesthetic and entertainment. Located just 2.5 miles south of Hays, it makes it a quick drive too. Unfortunately, Google Maps will send you on a little bit further of a drive- all the way to Long Beach in California, so navigation won’t do much for you. But it is so easy to get there. Just follow Vine (Highway 183) south until you hit Mt Pleasant Rd. You can’t miss it.
Pa’s opens the last week of September every year and ends their season with a haunted corn maze. For discounted tickets, patrons are encouraged to buy tickets early from Pa’s Pumpkin Patch or the Halloween store in the mall.
Pa’s has been open for 5 years and aims to keep their prices low while adding a new attraction for customers each year. This year, Pa’s added a “General Store” within their barn, where they sell popcorn balls, bottled root beer and cream soda, and other goodies. Hay Rides are just $1, the Corn Maze is $2, and RC Cars are $2 for 6 minutes of play time. The pumpkin patch offers a variety of shapes and sizes of pumpkins, with each pumpkin costing $.50 per pound.
Pa’s has no admission fee and encourages you to feed their friendly alpaca while your little ones play in the corn pit.
“We want families that can’t afford to go spend tons of money to still be able to come out and make family memories,” mentions Maggie Moeder, co-owner of Pa’s Pumpkin Patch. “We have stuff like feeding the alpacas, and the corn pit and s’mores kits are only fifty cents. We want to keep it affordable so that everybody can come.”
For more information on this fun fall attraction, you can visit their Facebook page, “Pa’s Pumpkin Patch.”