New-look pumpkin picking experience launches at Staffordshire farm

A popular Staffordshire pumpkin patch is getting a fresh new look for 2026, as Lower Drayton Farm celebrates 10 years of growing pumpkins with an expanded programme of autumn events.

Pumpkins @ Lower Drayton Farm, near Penkridge, opens on Saturday 26 September, offering visitors the chance to grab a wheelbarrow and choose their pumpkin straight from the field where it was grown, alongside Pick Your Own farm-fresh vegetables including potatoes, beetroot, parsnips and carrots.

New for this year is a huge indoor carving barn incorporating Pumpkin Village, allowing visitors to carve their pumpkin at the farm – and leave the mess behind! New autumnal photo opportunities have also been added around the event.

A revamped ticketing structure gives visitors more choice, with entry starting from £6 per person, alongside options including pumpkins and small or large bags to fill with freshly picked vegetables. The daytime event will open on 26 & 27 September; 3 & 4 October; 10 & 11 October; and daily from 17–31 October.

For those who fancy experiencing the patch after sunset, three special Pumpkins After Dark evenings will run from 5pm–10pm on Fridays 16, 23 and 30 October. The family-friendly evenings – also designed to appeal to grown-up groups – will combine pumpkin picking and carving with fairground rides, a licensed bar, hot food, s’mores, doughnuts and live entertainment. Oasis tribute The Definitely Maybe’s will perform on 16 October; TJDJ will entertain crowds on 23 October; while Charl Watson Music and Beth Tudor will perform on 30 October.

From Saturday 24 October, the event will take on an extra spooky twist for the school holidays, with family-friendly activities including Witch School, pumpkin games and bouncy pillows, alongside pumpkin picking, carving and seasonal photo opportunities – all included within the Pumpkins ticket.

Then, on Halloween itself, Saturday 31 October, four-legged family members get their turn as the farm hosts its special ‘Pupkin Patch’ day. Dogs are welcome at the Pumpkins event on this date only, giving owners the chance to bring their pooches along for a countryside walk and some suitably seasonal pumpkin patch photos.

Farmer Richard Bower, who runs Lower Drayton Farm alongside his father Ray, said:
“This year marks 10 years since we grew our first pumpkin crop, so it felt like the perfect time to give the event a refresh. We wanted to bring it back to what we’re all about as a working farm – getting people out into the fields, closer to where their food is grown and enjoying the countryside.

“As well as picking pumpkins straight from the patch, visitors can opt pick a fantastic range of farm-fresh vegetables too, which makes our event a little different. With our new indoor events and carving barn giving us even more scope for activities whatever the weather, we’re really excited to celebrate everything that’s great about autumn on the farm.”

Located just one mile from Junction 13 of the M6, Lower Drayton Farm is easily accessible from Stafford and across the wider West Midlands, including Wolverhampton, Walsall, Birmingham, Telford and Stoke-on-Trent.

Tickets start from £6 per person, with advance online booking available via www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk/pumpkins. Pumpkins @ Lower Drayton Farm is a standalone seasonal event and admission to the PLAY@ farm attraction is not included. Visitors can ask about upgrading to PLAY@ on the day, subject to availability.