It’s fall, y’all. Behold, the best places to live out your seasonal stereotype.
Local festivals & happenings:
Saturday, Oct. 10, 9-5: Karefree Produce holds its customer appreciation day, with scarecrow and pumpkin decoration stations and a farm truck photo op. The fall / holiday baked goods menu will be live, so be ready to place orders.
Friday, Oct. 16, 5:45-8:45 p.m.: Join Aberdeen Parks and Rec for Frights and Pints: an outdoor showing of Night of the Living Dead, with beer for purchase.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 1:15-5:20 p.m.: My Gym is hosting a Spooktacular Halloween Celebration, complete with a costume parade, Halloween-themed songs and games. Time slots are from 1:15-2:05, 2:20-3:10, 3:25-4:15 and 4:30-5:20. Reserve yours here.
Saturday, Oct. 24 to Sunday, Oct. 25: Refugio Farm hosts a fall festival, with face painting, bounce houses, hay rides, horse and pony rides, arts and crafts and more. Info here.
Friday, Oct. 30, 9:15 a.m.: SLAM (Sweat Like a Mother) will host its fourth annual Pumped Up Pumpkin SLAM, a free stroller fit class at First Baptist Church in Southern Pines. SLADs are welcome, too. Info here.
Pull on Your Plaid for a Trip to These Family Farms Near Moore County
The local options:
EAGLE SPRINGS: Oct. 1 through Nov. 1: Visit Kalawi Farms for a corn maze and fall activities (super slide, jump pillow, barrel train and hay rides) along with pick-your-own and pre-picked pumpkins. Tickets are $10 per person, and reservations are required in two-hour time slots. Details here.
SANFORD: Saturday, Sept. 26 through Nov. 1: Gross Farms holds its annual pumpkin patch and corn maze, along with other activities like a bouncy pillow, hayride and giant slide. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Watch for more information on its website or follow announcements on Facebook.
Farms in driving distance:
SPRING HAVEN FARM: Wednesdays-Saturdays starting Oct. 7: Pick a pumpkin and carve it with your very own goat clean-up crew at Spring Haven Farm in Chapel Hill. You’ll meet other animals, too, like baby Highlander cows (squeal); get a chance to ride a tractor train and get lost in a haunted maze. More info here.
ASHEBORO: Saturday, Oct. 10: Join Fairview Farm for the 5th Annual Fall on the Farm, with barbecue sandwiches, baked goods, kettle corn, crafts, petting zoos and more. Info here.
RAMSEUR: Weekdays and weekends in October: Reservations for apple-picking sold out in days at Millstone Creek Orchards, but you can still secure your slot for a socially distanced hayride to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch. A ticket ($11.95 for those 2 and up on weekdays and $15.95 for those 2 and up on weekends) comes with a mini apple slider slushie. The grounds also offer playgrounds, fire pits, catch-and-release fishing, and live music on weekends.
LILLINGTON: Friday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 1: Buy pumpkins, let your kids get lost in some corn, take a barrel train ride and more at CATHIS farm. Your $10 ticket includes a mini pumpkin and $1 toward concessions. Kids 3 and under are free. Info here.
CLINTON: Saturday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Nov. 7: Hubb’s Farm, which regularly makes lists for the state’s best corn mazes, has launched fall activities. Tickets are a little pricey, at $18 for everyone age 2 and up, but reviews say the activities are worth the price. See everything that’s offered here or bookmark the event on Facebook.
