by Rebecca Riddell –
Fall festivities may look a little different this year, thanks to COVID-19 and the public safety concerns surrounding the pandemic—but rest assured there are plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy many of the fall traditions that we love. Pumpkin patches and farmers markets throughout the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula are stocked and ready for patrons. Trick-or-treating will still be taking place in most areas with special guidelines in place. There is a little something for everyone to enjoy so get your costumes or cozy sweaters ready, and plan some fall fun for your family!
A day at the pumpkin patch
If you’re looking to plan a traditional day of fun at the pumpkin patch, there are a few options available around the Northern Neck Area.
In the Lewisetta area of Northumberland County, there is a small family run operation known as the Two Daughters Pumpkin Patch. As the name suggests, the patch is run by 16-year-old Darrah Downing and 11-year-old Meghan Downing. The patch was started 4 years ago as a fun 4-H experiment for the girls to make a little extra money and has grown every year as a favorite fall destination for families in the area. Besides getting a little help with planting from their father, the operation is completely run by the girls. They happily help visitors find and cut their perfect pumpkins and handle all business transactions. They even cater to larger families, church groups, homeschool groups, and more. The farm features several large fields with pumpkins and gourds of all colors, shapes, and sizes as well as Indian Corn. The patch is a smaller entity of Bleak House Grain Farm and is located on Bleak House Farm Ln in Lottsburg, VA.
Over in Richmond County in Warsaw, is another family-run patch offering up plenty of fun and festivities. Millwood Farm Produce offers traditional pumpkin picking for families to enjoy but also incorporates many other activities for individuals of all ages. The farm features an extensive corn maze for visitors to wander, get lost, and eventually make their way through. For the last 2 weekends in October, the maze will be transformed into a Haunted Corn Maze. The farm also offers all sorts of games and activities for children of all ages, including their Honey Bee Train rides where participants ride in adorably decorated old barrels pulled behind a tractor. While at the farm, you can also stock up on many other produce favorites and on select days, the farm even has food vendors. The farm will be open through November 6th, so there is plenty of time to plan your family trip! For more details and listings of their special events, visit their Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/millwoodproduce/ ) or give them a call at (804) 761-5683. The farm is located at 23709 Kings Hwy, Warsaw, VA.
Sadly, Westmoreland Berry Farm in Colonial Beach, a Northern Neck favorite, announced earlier this year that they would be closing indefinitely.
Unfortunately the Middle Peninsula area pumpkin farms and patches have been hit hard over the past few years.
2020 has proved to be a difficult year for Belmont Pumpkin Farm in North, VA. The farm announced earlier this year that, due to flooding and the effects of Hurricane Isaias, they would be closed for the season. The owners noted that this was the first time in 37 years there would be no pumpkin season, but noted that they are looking forward to a bigger and better season next year.
Green Hand Farm Park in Gloucester decided to close its doors in 2019 after 10 successful years in business, after owner David Hand suffered an accident leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. It is rumored on their Facebook page that they may be considering opening in 2021 at a different location—however, no final decision has been announced.
Middle Peninsula residents and visitors will likely have to travel out of the area to visit a traditional pumpkin patch, but it is likely that pumpkins can be found and purchased at local farmers markets.
Trick-or-treating
Door-to-door and face-to-face trick-or-treating may not be possible this year, but our towns and communities seem to be stepping up and getting creative to ensure that this beloved holiday tradition lives on.
In the Northern Neck, the town of Kilmarnock has recently announced that they have canceled trick-or-treating within town limits for the year.
In lieu of traditional events, the town encourages eager participants to attend “The Great Pumpkin” drive-thru trick-or-treat and scavenger hunt, an event put on by the Lancaster Chamber by the Bay and the Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club. This event will take place on October 31 from 3-5 p.m. at the ICYCC and is open to children of all ages. Local businesses will set up booths along Club Drive, and participants will then drive along and collect candy as they go. There will even be a virtual costume contest as parents are urged to take photos and post them on social media, using #icycchalloween for a chance to earn prizes. Visitors can also pick up a scavenger hunt form upon arrival for an additional chance at prizes.
More information about this event can be found at http://www.lancasterva.com/
The Town of White Stone has announced that trick-or-treating will be permitted on October 31st, from 4 pm to 6 pm but strongly recommends that parents and families follow strict social distancing practices.
The Town of Warsaw will still hold its annual Trunk-or-Treat but will be doing it Drive-Thru style. This year’s event will be held at Richmond County Elementary School and participants will simply drive past each booth to collect their treats. This event will be held October 31 from 5-7 pm.
Across the River in the Middle Peninsula, the Town of Tappahannock has announced that trick-or-treating will be allowed on Saturday, October 31, from 6pm to 8pm. The town encourages participants to wear masks and practice social distancing.
The Town of Urbanna has canceled their traditional Halloween events and cautions against door-to-door trick-or-treating. As an alternative, LIFT Children of Middlesex and the Love4Kids Foundation are supporting a safe and easy way to trick-or-treat this year. Four locations will be set up for the convenience of families throughout the county. Families will be able to stay in their area, experience decorated trunks and pick up safe treats provided by Middlesex County churches and Love4Kids.
All Centers for Disease Control guidelines will be observed, including wearing face masks, gloves and social distancing. For families in the Church View/Jamaica area, the location will be Hermitage Baptist Church at 94 Wares Bridge Road, Church View. The Urbanna/Saluda location will be at Antioch Baptist Church, located at 159 Oakes Landing Road in Saluda, next to the historic Middlesex County Courthouse. The Cryer Center will cover families in the Locust Hill area located at 7485 General Puller Highway and Zoar Baptist Church will serve for those in the Deltaville area. It is located next to the Deltaville Community Association building on General Puller Highway (Route 33).
Volunteers at each location will give out treats from 3-5 p.m. on Saturday, October 31.
In addition to these traditional holiday favorites, there are a few unconventional events going on in our areas.
The Allure Art Center in White Stone began their annual Trick-or-Art event last week and it will continue each weekend through Halloween. The Gallery has been transformed into a haunted space filled with ghosts, zombies and other chilling surprises. There will also be trick-or-treating for the kids. The Gallery mentions that every night will have new surprises and the best time to visit is Friday and Saturday evenings after 5:30. The Allure Art Center is located at 419 Rappahannock Drive, White Stone. More information about this event can be found at allureartcenter.com
Zoll Vineyards in Dutton is also offering some unique Halloween experiences. On October 22, from 6 pm to 8 pm, the vineyard will offer a Ghost Hunting 101 class, in which participants will learn some fun and informative ways to detect paranormal activity. Participants will also go on a ghost hunt around the Zoll property. The Vineyard will also hold a Halloween Masquerade on October 31 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Participants are encouraged to dress up for a night of mystery, magic, and of course wine. Visit zollvineyards.com for pricing and ticketing information and for more information about these events.
There certainly will be no shortage of fall fun this year and there is still plenty of time to make plans for your family! With every event you attend, there are still risks, of course, so it is important to be aware and observe social distancing guidelines. Learn more about VDH-recommended guidelines at https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/2020-regional-news-releases/health-officials-recommend-celebrating-halloween-safely/
Be safe, have fun, and enjoy the best that fall has to offer!
