The 2026 pumpkin picking season has finished. This is what happened this year; for what’s on now, see Bonfire Night and Santa’s grottos.
The first farm we checked opened on Friday 18 September, and 13 of 112 farms with published dates were open by Sunday 27 September. Most close on Halloween, Saturday 31 October (64 of 101). The middle entry price is £6.50 per person, and 64% of farms ask you to book.
These figures come from the 165 pumpkin farms we checked near 20 UK cities for autumn 2026. For each one we read the farm’s own website (or its Facebook page, where that is all it has) and recorded opening dates, prices and booking rules exactly as published. Farms that haven’t announced 2026 dates yet are counted only where the question doesn’t need a date.
When farms open
| First open | Farms | Share |
|---|---|---|
| By Sun 20 Sep | 3 | 3% |
| Mon 21 – Sun 27 Sep | 10 | 9% |
| Mon 28 Sep – Sun 4 Oct | 46 | 41% |
| Mon 5 – Sun 11 Oct | 24 | 21% |
| Later in October | 29 | 26% |
Earliest to open: Pumpkin Picking at The Balloon Tree (York, Fri 18 Sept); Pumpkinfest at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm (Bristol, Sat 19 Sept); Pumpkinfest at The Farm Shop, Noah's Ark (Bristol, Sat 19 Sept); Hobbledown Heath Pumpkin Patch (London, Fri 25 Sept); Pumpkin Picking at Lower Drayton Farm (Birmingham, Sat 26 Sept).
When farms close
Of the 101 farms that publish a last day, 64 close on Halloween itself, 19 run on into November (usually a pumpkin-smashing or fireworks finale) and 18 finish before 31 October. Late in the season the field thins out, so if you want the pick of the patch, go before half term starts on Saturday 24 October.
What it costs
Entry ranges from £1.50 to £24.41 per person across the 57 farms that charge and publish a price, with a middle price of £6.50. The dearest are farm parks and zoos where the pumpkin patch comes with full admission. 32 farms are free to walk in, and you pay only for what you pick.
Most farms charge for each pumpkin on top of entry. What some of them charge this year:
| Farm | Near | Pumpkins |
|---|---|---|
| Becketts Farm Pumpkin Extravaganza | Birmingham | £5 each beyond the one included |
| Halloween at The Barn at Berryfields | Birmingham | From about £3, by size |
| Halloween Spooktacular Pumpkin Picking at Hatton Adventure World | Birmingham | £2–£5 by size |
| Pumpkin Festival at Churchfields Farm | Birmingham | From £3, by size |
| Blackberry Farm Pumpkin Patch | Brighton | £6.75 per pumpkin (pick-your-own); £10.75 for a carving experience including the pumpkin |
| Poynings Pumpkin Patch | Brighton | From about £2 for small pumpkins, more for larger, priced by size (last confirmed in a 2022/23 season write-up) |
| South Farm Pumpkin Picking | Brighton | From about £1, priced by size (last year's pricing) |
| Picking Patch Bristol | Bristol | from £1.50 depending on size |
| Week of Wickedness Pumpkin Picking | Cambridge | from £3 |
| Rusty's Great Pumpkin Patch | Cambridge | included free with every ticket |
| Pumpkin Picking at The Milton Maze | Cambridge | from 75p |
| Billy Bob's Pumpkin Patch | Cardiff | £2 upwards depending on size |
| Pumpkin Picking at Clackmae Farm | Edinburgh | Emperors £12.50, PumpKings £10.50, PumpQueens £8.00, Pumplings £5.50 |
| Pumpkin Picking at Craigend Nursery | Glasgow | £3-£10 |
| Pick A Pumpkin at Mill Park | Glasgow | Pay for what you pick (rate not published) |
Booking, dogs and wellies
- Booking: 94 of 147 farms that say how entry works use pre-booked slots; 53 let you turn up.
- Dogs: 46 farms say dogs are welcome. Many others don’t say, so check before you take one.
- Mud: fields are fields. Wellies beat trainers from the first October rain onwards.
Find a farm near you
Every farm above is on our city lists, with its dates, prices and a link to where you book: start at the pumpkin picking page and choose your city.
Common questions
When does pumpkin picking start in 2026?
The first farm we checked opened on Friday 18 September (Pumpkin Picking at The Balloon Tree). 13 of the 112 farms with published dates were open by Sunday 27 September.
When does pumpkin picking end?
Of the 101 farms that publish a closing date, 64 close on Halloween (Saturday 31 October), 19 run on into November and 18 finish earlier.
How much does pumpkin picking cost?
Among the 57 farms that charge for entry and publish a price, the middle price is £6.50 per person, from £1.50 to £24.41. 32 are free to get in, and most farms charge for each pumpkin on top.
Do I need to book pumpkin picking?
64% of the farms that say how entry works ask you to book a slot; the rest let you turn up. Half term (from Saturday 24 October) is when slots run out.
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