Fall is almost here in the Central Valley! 🎃🍂 From pumpkin patches and corn mazes to harvest festivals, trunk-or-treats, Halloween celebrations and Día de los Muertos events, there are so many ways to celebrate the season with your family.
We've rounded up 2026 fall family fun happening in and around Riverbank, Oakdale, Escalon, Merced, and surrounding communities.
🎃 Pumpkin Patches & Farm Fun
Local farms and patches across the region
RIVERBANK
🎃 Riverbank Floating Pumpkin Patch
📍 Riverbank Community Pool
7th & Stanislaus Streets, Riverbank
📅 Saturday, September 26, 2026
⏰ 12 PM – 4 PM
🎟️ $10 per person
Pick your pumpkin from the pool! Riverbank's Floating Pumpkin Patch puts a fun twist on the traditional pumpkin patch.
🎃 Floating pumpkins 🎨 Crafts 🎯 Games 🎵 Music 🍎 Apple bar 🍿 Snacks
OAKDALE
🎃 SONS Farm Fresh Pumpkin Village
📍 1936 E. F Street, Oakdale
SONS Farm Fresh transforms into a colorful Pumpkin Village each fall with pumpkins, photo opportunities and family activities.
🎃 Pumpkins & gourds 🐐 Petting zoo 🌽 Corn pits 🌾 Hay maze 👻 Haunted maze 🦎 Reptile house 💎 Gem mining 📸 Photo displays
Expected to return mid-September 2026
🎃 Chester's Pumpkin Pasture
📍 Oakdale Rodeo Grounds, Oakdale
Chester's Pumpkin Pasture brought a huge lineup of fall activities to Oakdale in 2025, including pumpkins, farm animals, tractor rides and kids' activities.
2026 dates have not yet been announced
🍎 Bloomingcamp Ranch
📍 10528 CA-120, Oakdale
A longtime Oakdale fall destination known for its baked goods, seasonal treats and Harvest Festival.
🎃 Pumpkins 🚜 Hayrides 🎨 Children's activities 🛍️ Vendors 🎵 Entertainment 🥧 Fresh pies
2026 Harvest Festival details coming soon
ATWATER & MERCED
🎃 Hunter Family Farms Pumpkin Patch
📍 2985 N. Southern Pacific Avenue, Atwater
Make a whole day of your pumpkin patch visit at Hunter Family Farms.
🎃 Pumpkins 🌽 Corn maze 🚜 Hayrides 🦖 Dinosaur attractions 🐐 Critter Corral 💎 Gem mining 💨 Pumpkin cannons 🛝 Play attractions
🚗 Pumpkin Patches Worth the Drive
A little farther but totally worth it
🎃 Dutch Hollow Farms — Modesto
📍 2500 Santa Fe Avenue, Modesto
📅 Pumpkin Patch opens October 2, 2026
A beloved Modesto pumpkin patch destination with seasonal activities for the whole family.
🎃 R.A.M. Farms — Turlock
📍 716 N. Daubenberger Road, Turlock
📅 Pumpkin Patch: Sept 25 • Corn Maze: Oct 2, 2026
Pumpkin patch admission and parking are free; admission is charged for the corn maze.
🎃 Irwin Acres Pumpkin Patch — Hilmar
📍 7706 Irwin Street, Hilmar
A family-owned pumpkin patch featuring pumpkins, a corn maze and lots of farm activities.
2026 dates are still to come
🎃 Dell'Osso Family Farm — Lathrop
📍 501 Manthey Rd., Lathrop
📅 October 2–31, 2026
If you're looking for a pumpkin patch with a LOT to do, put Dell'Osso Family Farm on your fall bucket list. Great for families who want a full-day adventure.
🎃 Pumpkin Patch 🌽 Corn Mazes 🚂 Train 🚜 Hayride 🐐 Animals 🏘️ Teeny Town ⛳ Mini Golf 👻 Haunted Attractions
🍁 2026 Fall Festivals & Family Events
RIVERBANK
🍷 Riverbank Cheese & Wine Festival
📅 Saturday, October 10 • 10 AM – 6 PM
One of Riverbank's signature annual community celebrations returns with food, vendors, entertainment and activities.
OAKDALE
🍎 Bloomingcamp Ranch Harvest Festival
Bloomingcamp Ranch traditionally celebrates harvest season with a family-friendly fall festival featuring activities, vendors, food and seasonal fun.
2026 details coming soon
🎃 SONS Farm Fresh Fall Activities
In addition to Pumpkin Village, watch for special weekend activities and vendors throughout pumpkin season.
ESCALON
MERCED & ATWATER
🎃 Hunter Family Farms Fall Fun
Hunter Family Farms is one of the area's biggest fall destinations, with pumpkin picking, a corn maze, hayrides and numerous children's attractions.
WATERFORD
MARIPOSA COUNTY
Fall in the foothills is beautiful! We'll be watching for family-friendly events throughout:
📍 Mariposa 📍 El Portal 📍 Catheys Valley 📍 Coulterville 📍 Hornitos 📍 Midpines
HICKMAN, LA GRANGE & SNELLING
👻 Halloween & Trunk-or-Treat Events
Costumes ready? 👻
As Halloween gets closer, this section will fill up with family-friendly Halloween events throughout our communities. Look for:
🎃 Trunk-or-Treats 🍬 Trick-or-Treats 👻 Halloween Festivals 🧙 Costume Contests 🎨 Halloween Crafts 🎬 Movie Nights 🕸️ Haunted Houses 🎃 Pumpkin Decorating 🍭 Downtown Treats
💀 Día de los Muertos Celebrations
We'll be adding local Día de los Muertos celebrations happening throughout our communities, including family activities, cultural celebrations, music, art and community ofrendas.
Check back as 2026 events are announced.
🍎 Harvest & Autumn Fun
Not everything has to involve pumpkins!
🍎 Apple activities 🥧 Fall bake sales 🍁 Fall festivals 🌻 Farm days 🧺 Farmers markets 🎨 Fall crafts 🚜 Hayrides 🌽 Corn mazes 🍂 Outdoor activities 🎵 Fall concerts
Want to Reach Local Families This Fall?
Are you a local business looking to connect with families in Riverbank, Oakdale, Escalon, Merced, Atwater, Waterford, Mariposa and surrounding communities?
Our 2026 Fall Family Fun Guide will be a go-to resource for local parents. Sponsoring this guide is a great way to put your business in front of families right when they're looking for things to do.
Become a Sponsor📅 Know of a Fall Event We Missed?
Are you a local farm, business, school, church or community organization hosting a pumpkin patch, harvest festival, trunk-or-treat, Halloween celebration, Día de los Muertos event or other family-friendly fall activity? We want to hear about it!
👉 Submit your family-friendly event FREE to the Macaroni KID Riverbank–Oakdale–Escalon calendar.
We'll continue updating this guide throughout the season, so bookmark it and check back often!
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