Autumn events abound in East Valley
Mahriah Schmidt
Mesa Legend
While it still feels like summer in Arizona, make no mistake: fall is here. And with the changing season comes plenty of pumpkin-centric events throughout the valley. Schnepf Farms’ Pumpkin and Chili Party is in its 18th year. The party began as a two-night event and has throughout the years transformed into one of the East Valley’s most popular fall events. “We thought we wanted to do a fall festival and so we said ‘Let’s do bonfires, marshmallow roasting, serve chili, corn on the cob, (and) cornbread because that gets people in the fall mood,’” said Carrie Schnepf, owner and operator of Schnepf Farms. “Now 18 years later, we have added trains, roller coasters, pig races, mini golf, road rally cars and so much more.”
Schnepf recommends arriving between 2 and 4 p.m. “There is a little down time,” said Schnepf. “So the ride lines are shorter and you get to enjoy things during the day and you are around when we light up the bonfires and roast marshmallows.” Admission is $17 at the gate, but tickets are available at Fry’s Food Stores for $15. Tickets provide admission to rides, corn mazes, rock climbing, and a petting zoo. Additional events include BMX and stunt dog shows, as well as live entertainment. There are additional costs for purchasing food or pumpkins, as well as for train and pony rides.
Student discounts are offered for a new attraction called Outbreak: A Zombie Paintball Hayride, which runs Thursday through Sunday nights and costs $15 with a student ID.
Schnepf Farms is located at 24810 S. Rittenhouse Rd., Queen Creek. For more information, visit www.schnepffarms.com Another family-friendly event will be held at Vertuccio Farms, located in Mesa. Their 2015 Corn Maze and Fall Festival is open seven days a week and admission is $9 per person, while children under 2 are free.
Admission includes access to many activities for children. There is an additional fee for pumpkins, hay bales and corn stalks. Additionally, they serve kettle corn, hot dogs, pizza, barbecue sandwiches and more. Parking for the event is free. Vertuccio Farms is located at 4011 S. Power Rd., Mesa. You can visit their website at www.vertucciofarms.com
Mother Nature’s Farm, located at 1663 E. Baseline Rd. in Gilbert originally began selling pumpkins in 1991. Their fall event has an admission price of $10 for kids and includes a pumpkin and stickers to decorate it with. It also includes activities such as air bounce, hayrides, straw bounce, animals feeding and a maze. Admission for adults is $3 and includes a hayride. Items such as hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones are available for purchase, but visitors are welcome to bring their own lunch to eat at one of the picnic tables available. More information can be found at www.mothernaturesfarm.com
For those seeking a more frightening and action-packed way to spend the Halloween season, then Zombie Warz Paintball may be just the thing. Located at Rawhide in Chandler, Zombie Warz offers a video game-esque experience in which players are Arizona’s last hope against the zombie apocalypse. Admission is $29.95 and includes 100 paintballs. If you visit on a Thursday, you receive an extra 100 paintballs for free.
Zombie Warz Paintball is located at 5002 S. Maricopa Rd. in Chandler and is ongoing through Jan. 2. Find more information at www.zombiewarzaz.com
