Fruitville Grove Farm Market is bringing back one of Sarasota’s longest-running fall traditions. The 38th Annual Pumpkin Festival opens Saturday, October 3, and runs every Saturday and Sunday through November 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 7410 Fruitville Road.
Admission is $5 with free parking, and the lineup includes hayrides, pony rides, pumpkin painting, a petting zoo, craft vendors and food trucks. The Torres Family Circus performs free shows at noon and 3 p.m. daily, featuring the Globe of Death, while live music runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. Kids can enter a free costume contest every Saturday at 2 p.m. New attractions for 2026 include a mini-donkey mingle, bunny village, Kountry K9s show and a goat castle, plus Saturday appearances by The Caspian Mermaid.
The Pumpkin Palace has everything you need to dress up the front porch, from pumpkins and gourds to hay bales and seasonal decor. The farm’s year-round market is also open, selling local produce and specialty goods. If you’ve been meaning to make fall feel like fall in Florida, this is your five-weekend window.
What’s your must-do at the Pumpkin Festival, the hayride or the circus? Tell us in the comments.
