U-Pick Red Barn to throw Opening Day Party
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IDAHO FALLS — U-Pick Red Barn in Idaho Falls is celebrating the opening day of Pumpkin Season, and you’re invited to the party.
Red Barn’s Opening Day Party offers a chance to get the first crack at choosing a pumpkin, as well as all manner of games and amusements. The opening day bash has been a Red Barn tradition for over a decade-and-a-half, getting a little bigger every year.
“Sixteen years ago, my cousin and I started (Red Barn) as a summer project to make some money,” Red Barn co-founder Chase Walker. “It was my Uncle Rollie (Walker’s) idea. We started with an acre-and-a-half and grew pumpkins that we’d end up selling to another pumpkin farmer. Every year, we’ve grown more and more and invested in things to make it more fun. It’s grown into something that’s bigger than I ever expected.”
This year, Red Barn is adding a pedal car racetrack to the growing list of fun activities they offer to families. They will also have jump pads, slides, a straw maze, pumpkin cannons and train rides. They added a pizza kitchen last year and will also have two food trucks on-site to serve anyone who works up an appetite picking out pumpkins.
It’s a party that celebrates a whole season of hard work.
“The very end of May is when we plant,” said Walker. “A couple of weeks before that, we do all our preparation. We put some black plastic and drip irrigation into the ground. The black plastic keeps the heat in so we get perfect temperature and the drip lines are so we can get perfect watering and fertilizing for all of our pumpkins.”
“Then it’s just maintenance until around the third week of September,” he added. “We’re actually starting to cut some of our pumpkins today. But between May and September, it’s just watering and fertilizing and weeding and that’s about it.”
With the growing season complete, it’s time to harvest the pumpkins in preparation for Halloween. Red Barn is offering several pass packages, each featuring different options.
“We have a standard pass which is $7.00 which gets you the slides, jump pads and corn pits,” Walker said. “We have a $15.00 pass which includes unlimited train rides, unlimited pedal carts and the slides and that other stuff, plus a shot at the pumpkin cannons. And then, we have a $5.00 pass for people who want to come watch and not do any activities.”
Pumpkins pricing is not included in admission. You can get any three pumpkins for $20.00 and any 5 for $30.00.
Red Barn is also holding a Special Needs Party on Friday night. Admission will be free for individuals with special needs and their families. Contact your agency or therapy service for further information.
U-Pick Red Barn’s Opening Day Party is this Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. at Red Barn in Idaho Falls. You can learn more by visiting the Red Barn website, Facebook page or Instagram.
