Pumpkin Patch & Fall Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY

Saratoga's Favorite Fall Tradition

Every autumn from the last Saturday of September through Halloween, Sunnyside Gardens transforms into one of the Capital Region's favorite fall destinations. Come for the pumpkins, stay for the cider donuts — and know that admission is always free.

Pick a Pumpkin, Stay for the Donuts

We fill the patch with pumpkins of every shape, size, and color — sourced from trusted New York farms and perfect for decorating or carving. Grab freshly made cider donuts, hop on a tractor-pulled hayride, and don't miss our ride-on train, the only one of its kind in the area.

No Scares, Just Smiles

No scary thrills, no gore — just classic autumn fun for all ages. Kids who visited here years ago now bring their own children to pick pumpkins in the same patch. You only pay for the rides and activities you choose.

Fall Activities

From live bluegrass on the weekends to a room full of monarch butterflies, there's more to discover at the Sunnyside Fall Festival than most people expect. Here's what's waiting for you:

Tractor-pulled hayrides through the spooky woods
Ride-on train for kids
Pumpkin picking in the patch
Hall-O-Flame — over 300 hand-carved jack-o-lanterns on display
Live bluegrass music every weekend
Monarch butterfly room
Model train displays
Fun photo cut-outs
Fresh homemade cider donuts

Every visit is a little different — and there's always something worth coming back for.

Fall Mums, Flowers & Plants

Every summer we grow thousands of chrysanthemum cuttings into what our customers have come to call our "Monster Mums" — and the name says it all. With over 40 years of growing experience, we produce some of the largest mums you'll find anywhere in the region, in over 100 varieties that bloom from early September through the first hard frost — sometimes even into Thanksgiving.

We also carry a full selection of fall favorites to round out your seasonal display:

Asters
Fall perennials including sedums
Ornamental peppers

Locally Grown Pumpkins & Squash

All of our pumpkins, squash, corn, and hay come directly from New York farmers — so everything you bring home is fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced. With thousands of pumpkins on hand, you'll find the right one whether you're carving, decorating, or cooking.

Beyond traditional carving pumpkins, we carry a wide selection of specialty varieties:

Striped Cushaw Squash
Blue Hubbard Squash
Rouge Vif d'Etampes (Cinderella Pumpkin)
Casper White Pumpkins
Long Island Cheese Pumpkins
Fairytale Pumpkins
Blue Jarrahdale Pumpkins

Stop in and see what's in the patch — the selection changes throughout the season.

Fresh Cider Donuts & Bakery

The moment you arrive at Sunnyside Gardens, the smell of fresh cider donuts will find you first. Made fresh daily in our bakery, they're light, fluffy, and one of those things' visitors come back for year after year.

Our fall concession stand has everything you need to settle in and stay a while — cider donuts, fresh pastries, brownies, turnovers, hot dogs, and fresh popcorn. Grab something warm and enjoy it while you explore the patch.

Live Bluegrass Music

Fall weekends at Sunnyside Gardens come with a soundtrack. Grab a seat at one of our picnic tables, enjoy live bluegrass while you explore the patch, and don't be surprised if the little ones start dancing.

Saturdays | 12 PM – 4 PM Adrenaline Pumpkin — Sunnyside's house band featuring John Kribs (guitar), Orion Kribs (mandolin), Arlin Greene (bass), and Christopher Leske on banjo. Christopher is the 1984 North American Banjo Champion — and it shows.

Sundays | 12 PM – 4 PM Hale Mountain Band, traveling down from southern Vermont with a mix of bluegrass, gospel, soft rock, and a touch of Grateful Dead.

Fall Field Trips

For over 20 years, Sunnyside Gardens has welcomed school groups to our pumpkin patch — and it's become one of the most popular fall field trips in the Capital Region. Schools from across Upstate New York, Albany, and Glens Falls come for the fresh air, the activities, and an experience kids genuinely remember.

The butterfly house is a particular favorite — a natural tie-in to science lessons on insects and metamorphosis that teachers love as much as the kids do.

Field Trip Details

Availability: Monday–Friday

For: Elementary schools, registered daycares, and nursery schools

Minimum group: 10 children

Cost: $12 per student (add $3 for cider & donut — applies to chaperones, parents, and siblings too)

Every visit includes:

One hayride

One train ride

One small pie pumpkin per child

Halloween displays

Hall-O-Flame jack-o-lantern exhibit

Butterfly house access