CLARENCE, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence opened its 31st season Saturday, welcoming families back for what has become one of Western New York's signature fall traditions.
The farm, which runs through Oct. 31, features rides, carnival food, a bakery, a Halloween store, a bar, face painting, a 10,000-square-foot indoor playground, and a petting zoo with goats, rabbits, cows, a camel, and this year, a miniature pig. Festivals are held on weekends, and the farm is open seven days a week.
Isaac Dominguez, the farm's chief fund officer, said the opening day drew more visitors than expected.
"Usually we ramp into October," Dominguez said. "Today we've got a good amount."
In its sixth season at the farm, Dominguez said the experience still brings the same excitement each year.
"It's always a blast getting in August, starting to get ready for it," he said. "Everybody loves the pumpkins, pumpkin spice, the fall themes."
One of the highlights of the season is the annual attempt to set a new Guinness World Record for the world's largest pumpkin. The Great Pumpkin Farm has roots in that pursuit, it was founded in 1996 as the home of the World Pumpkin Weigh-Off, and the farm set a record in the 1990s with a pumpkin that weighed more than 1,000 pounds. Dominguez said this year's target is higher than 2,000 pounds.
"We always cross our fingers and hold our breath to see what comes out of that," Dominguez said.
The pumpkins competing for the record are grown by outside farmers and transported to the farm with considerable care.
"They bring them in, they're cushioned. They treat them like they're a kid," Dominguez said. "It's a very special thing when we watch them bring them in and we lift them, we put them on scales, and you'll see pumpkins that are as tall as me out here."
WATCH: The Great Pumpkin Farm open 31st season in Clarence
Dominguez said the farm offers something for visitors of all ages, comparing the experience to a regional version of a major theme park destination.
"If you've been to Disneyland, Great Pumpkin Farm is your Western New York Disneyland," he said. "It's not just something for kids. We've got something that is available for everybody."
The Great Pumpkin Farm is located in Clarence and is open through Oct. 31.
