Overview

• Regional patches are now welcoming visitors on October weekends, with many switching to daily opening in the final week before Halloween.
• Sompting Pumpkins in West Sussex is open Oct 11–12, Oct 18–19 and then daily Oct 25–31, reporting a strong harvest with a wide range of sizes and colors.
• Attractions include tractor rides, spooky mazes, crafts and food stalls, and policies differ by site, such as free entry at several patches and a £6.50 ticket for the Witches Maize in Fordingbridge.
• The NFU highlights the driest spring in over a century, and farms report mixed outcomes, from plentiful supplies to limited stock at places like Gorcombe Farm despite good variety.
• Special events punctuate the season, including Pumpkin Fest dates at Gullivers Farm, a Nov 1 firework display at Pumpkin Pastures, and the sustainability-focused Pumpkin SMASH finale at Rogate.