Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival opens Saturday in East Manatee

It started a quarter of century ago. Back then, it was a laid back, bucolic event that attracted a few locals who wanted to enjoy a day in the country.

Not anymore. The Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival is a destination event that draws tens of thousands of people from all over Florida to Manatee County over three weekends.

This year’s festival starts Saturday on the 1,000-acre Hunsader Farms on County Road 675. It runs all day each Saturday and Sunday through the end of October.

These days, the festival draws craftspeople, food vendors and entertainers from all over central Florida. About 75 crafts people will have booths at the festival this year, and there’s a full schedule of live bands each day.

Most of the festivals around Bradenton this time of year have live bands and craft vendors, but the pumpkin festival includes a wider variety of booths and entertainment. Antiques dealers often have booths at the festival, and the entertainment this years includes a juggler, a chainsaw sculptor and a frog jumping competition.

The festival includes lots of family activities that are popular with visitors every year, including a corn maze, hayrides, pony rides, a rock climbing wall, a petting zoo and train rides. A lot of the activities are free with admission to the festival, but some of the others cost a few bucks extra.

And, of course, there’s lots of great farm-fresh food, including fresh produce, roasted corn and pumpkin pie.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30, Hunsader Farms, 5500 County Road 675, East Manatee. $10; children 12 and under free. Parking $5. 941-322-2168, hunsaderfarms.com.

This story was originally published October 12, 2016 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival opens Saturday in East Manatee."