Fall is officially here, and you know what that means. Signs of cooler weather, pumpkin spice lattes, college football tailgates, and changing foliage are becoming the norm. One of the more entertaining, family oriented, local events to celebrate the new season is Brookgreen Gardens annual Harvest Home Weekend Festival, and it’s just around the corner. On Saturday October 5th and Sunday October 6th from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Brookgreen Gardens gates will be open to host the fun family event. Young children will have the time of their lives, as they have the chance to build a scarecrow from scratch, ride the hayride, and frolic through the pumpkin patch looking for the perfect pumpkin to decorate. In the south, you’ll often here “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and sure enough, this event has practically been the exact same for many years. It’s a fall celebration in the purest and most entertaining of forms. The hayride, pumpkin painting, scarecrow building, and the other forms of entertainment, like music, dancing, and animals have always left people feeling energized and excited to kick off the autumn season, and it will for many years to come. 

The hayrides will run from 10 AM to 4 PM, and they’re always a hit, so try to get to the ticket station early! As a timed event, each hayride has a departure and arrival time, that way you know exactly when you need to be at the station to leave and exactly when you’ll get back. This type of structure gives you the ability to be flexible when it comes to making more time for the other festivities, and for only $4 you get to see the incredible scenery within Brookgreen Gardens. Be sure to wear long pants and sleeves though, the hay can be itchy!

Scarecrow building is a unique activity for rambunctious young kids and their creative parents to work on together. Who doesn’t love a family bonding activity? Shirts, pants, hats, shoes, and other garments are available to create the scarecrow of your dreams. There’s enough hay to feed a million horses, so don’t get too worried about running out of the scarecrows filling. However, the best tops and bottoms are sure to go fast! Once you’ve finished making your masterpiece, you can purchase your creation for just $5. If it’s your first time ever partaking in the event, you’ll realize quickly how serious some people take it. It won’t be long after you leave that you and your family will begin brainstorming ideas on how create a one of a kind scarecrow for the next year.

It goes without saying that everyone’s favorite activity to partake in is the pumpkin painting! You get the opportunity to scour the vibrant pumpkin patch for just the right one, and once you’ve found it, you head over to the cashier station to purchase your oversized fruit! A small pumpkin will cost you $4, and large pumpkin goes for $9, but it’s well worth it for the memories you’ll make. The painting supplies are free and readily available, so let your creative juices flow! The young ones are sure to have a smile on their face when they get to let their imaginations run wild. As an adult, it will bring the youth right out of you, and it’ll feel like your a child all over again. To put it simply, this activity is one that you and your family will never forget.

The entertainment doesn’t stop there. On Saturday, Shelley Sasser will be there to play and sing musical hits for everyone to enjoy. Also, Danza Azteca will follow to put on a Native American Dance show featuring traditional garb. This will be a wonderful culture experience to witness first hand, and an educational opportunity as well.

On Sunday, bluesman Randy McQuay will perform his musical expertise with a guitar and harmonica. It will be a lively set to say the least. After him will be Mimi B to play some tunes to entice you and your family to get up and dance! It’s sure to be a good time.

A Daily General Admission Ticket is good for 7 consecutive days, so if you decide you want to go back the next day, you can!
Tickets for children 3 and under are free, ages 4-12 are $10, 13-64 is $18, and Seniors 65+ are $16. You can buy tickets online or at the gate, whatever is more convenient for you.
Celebrate the coming of the Fall season by partaking in the Brookgreen Gardens Harvest Home Weekend Festival and enjoy all the great festivities that it has to offer. You won’t want to miss it.