Pumpkin Daze near Batavia sprouts fall fun at Abbey Farms

The 10th annual Pumpkin Daze at Abbey Farms delivers old-fashioned farm fun through Oct. 28, including two corn mazes whose designs celebrate Illinois' bicentennial.

The family-friendly venue and its seasonal store are at 2855 Hart Road in Aurora. The event park is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, according to a news release. A craft beer and wine tent is open on weekends from noon until close.

Activities include a revitalized pirate ship adventure; corn cannon; a new maze discovery game; tractor tire mountain; weekend petting zoo with a new 120-foot goat walk; refurbished mega drop slide; and pick-your-own pumpkins.

Thanks to a donation from Ed Regole of St. Charles, youth can explore six vintage tractors that have been added to the park.

The seasonal store offers more products, garden produce and a wider variety of Abbey Farms-grown decorative pumpkins. Once again, Abbey Farms is growing the pink Porcelain Doll F1 pumpkin as a fundraiser to fight breast cancer. The Pink Pumpkin Patch Foundation is the recipient of a portion of the proceeds from each Porcelain Doll pumpkin sold.

Grilled hamburgers, brats, kettle corn and a caramel apple bar highlight the concessions, and Abbey Farms makes apple cider donuts fresh daily.

The last Sunday is Trick or Treat Day, with visitors encouraged to wear costumes Oct. 28.

Including access to most activities, general admission tickets cost $14.99 on weekends and $10.99 on weekdays and are available at abbeyfarms.org/hours-admission or at the farm. Admission is not required to visit the seasonal store.

For more information, go to abbeyfarms.org or call 630-966-7775. All proceeds go to the ministries of the monks of Marmion Abbey.