SNOHOMISH — Bob Ricci is tuning up his tractors, hauling pumpkins from the field and putting the finishing touches on his corn maze in preparation for mobs of visitors to his farm during the Snohomish Pumpkin Festival. It kicks off with the Pumpkin Hurl &Medieval Faire this weekend. Festivities continue with numerous events through Nov. 2.
Ricci is a founding member of a group of seven Snohomish Valley farms that produce the events. During the fall festival, the farmers host visitors with a variety of attractions, including pumpkin patches and corn mazes. Ricci said they decided to band together years ago to grow agricultural tourism and increase business.
When the group started, his patch, Bob’s Corn and Pumpkin Farm, had the gourds growing on three acres. Today, he cultivates 54 pumpkin varieties on more than 30 acres.
“I’ve had ridiculous growth,” Ricci said.
The festival now attracts some 200,000 visitors a year, said Debbie Carlson-Gould, the festival manager.
“We’re trying to make Snohomish the pumpkin capital of the Northwest,” she said. “We want to be pumpkin central.”
So popular are the events that Ricci is out of the wholesale produce business because there are enough visitors to his farm to get rid of his crop.
“I’ve got every size, color and shape you can imagine,” he said, noting that some of his pumpkins grow to up to 200 pounds.
Ricci’s farm, like others in the area, used to be a dairy. As that industry dwindled, Ricci sold his cows and started growing pumpkins.
This year, he’s building a 10-acre corn maze and two smaller ones for children. Unlike some of the other farms, he said, his maze is not scary, with ghosts, ghouls and such. He’s putting 15 fire pits on the maze that families can rent out. Each member of the group hosts activities at their farm, and they work together to produce larger events, such as the Pumpkin Hurl &Medieval Faire. It’s scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Teams build pumpkin throwing machines, which are modeled after medieval catapult devices. They’re set to compete Saturday to see which gourd flies the farthest. Last year, the winning pumpkin traveled about a half-mile, said Carlson-Gould.
On Sunday, people bring their own pumpkin-hurling devices or shoot mini-throwing machines.
Because the number of pumpkin-hurling machines has dwindled since the event started in 2008, Carlson-Gould said, the festival has added other amusements. This year, the event boasts mock battles, Roman and Viking battle classes, weapons demonstrations, costume contests, mini parades, scavenger hunts, pony rides, tea parties and a number of other activities. The Seattle Knights, a sword-fighting and jousting troupe, is scheduled to perform.
The pumpkin hurl is to take place at Alexander Farm at the corner of 43rd Avenue SE and Ebey Island Road in Everett. Admission costs $8 per person and $5 to park. Children age 4 and under get in free. People are encouraged to come in any type of costume.
The festival is to continue with a zombie walk through downtown Snohomish at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 20. Walkers can show up at the Carnegie Library at 5 p.m. to participate.
For a complete schedule of events and links to each farm’s website, visit festivalofpumpkins.org.
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.
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