At the very heart of the Wakefield district’s crown as England’s Home of Halloween, nowhere captures the cozy magic of the season quite like Farmer Copleys in Pontefract. Sprawling across vast fields with over 300,000 pumpkins in every shape, size, and shade imaginable, the farm transforms into an electric, full scale festival celebrating the very best of autumn.
The main attraction is, of course, the pumpkin fields. Wandering through the colourful patches reveals far more than standard orange carving gourds. With more than 40 distinct heirloom varieties on display, visitors can hunt for ghostly white pumpkins, striking blue and pink, giant exhibition pumpkins, and wonderfully warty novelty gourds.
Beyond the fields, the entire farm vibrates with a buzzing festival energy. Children (and adults!) can jump aboard rustic tractor rides around the estate, take a spin on vintage fairground carousels, or test their aim at target archery zones. There’s entertainment for all ages, from child friendly witches’ story time sessions to roaming performers like Velcro the Scarecrow and Magical Mr Zen, along with daily fancy dress competitions and dedicated dog friendly parade days.
For anyone who loves a seasonal photo, the festival is renowned for its incredible picture perfect backdrops. Intentionally designed photo setups are scattered across the grounds, featuring giant pumpkin arches, rustic autumn porch displays, and vintage Land Rovers nestled right among the crops. They even have huge pumpkins you can sit in by local artist Sarah Furniss.
The food and drink offering is equally spectacular. Festival stalls cook up hearty seasonal street food, serving everything from slow roasted pulled pork burgers and wood fired pizzas to piping hot spiced pumpkin soup, warm fresh donuts, and mulled cider. Afterwards, you can pop into the award winning farm shop to stock up on freshly baked pumpkin bread and local delicacies, or take a seat inside the Moo Café for some great food. The fun even extends into the night with special evening barn showcases, including live country music and tribute acts.
Visitor Details & Tickets
Farmer Copleys Pumpkin Festival runs daily from Saturday 26 September through Sunday 1 November 2026 at Ravensknowle Farm, Pontefract Road, Pontefract (WF7 5AF).
Admission tickets cost £6.50 to £11.85 (under 3s enter free) and cover full site entry, live entertainment, roaming character interactions, and photo backdrops. Pumpkins, food, and fairground rides are charged separately. Tickets via farmercopleys.co.uk.
