U-Pick Farms with Festivals and Events
Some u-pick farms go beyond picking to offer full festivals and events. Here's how to find farms with special events and what to expect.
The best u-pick farm visits are more than just a transaction — they are an experience. And increasingly, farms across the country are hosting full festivals, special events, and seasonal celebrations that transform a simple farm trip into a destination-worthy day out. Here is a guide to what kinds of events farms host and how to find them.
Types of Farm Festivals and Events
Strawberry Festivals
Strawberry festivals are among the most beloved American food festivals. Many are hosted directly on farms or in farming communities and combine u-pick access with food vendors, entertainment, and community gatherings.
Notable examples:
- Plant City Strawberry Festival (Florida): One of the largest in the nation, this 11-day event in late February and early March draws massive crowds to Florida strawberry country
- Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival (Louisiana): A community celebration of Louisiana's strawberry harvest tradition in April
- Garden Grove Strawberry Festival (California): A long-running Southern California event celebrating the region's berry history
Many smaller farms host their own informal strawberry festivals on peak weekends — live music, food vendors, and special activities alongside picking.
Cherry Festivals
National Cherry Festival (Traverse City, Michigan): The most famous cherry festival in the country, held in early July. While the festival itself has grown beyond just cherries, it celebrates the region's agricultural heritage and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. Many area farms open for u-pick during festival week.
Hood River Cherry Days (Oregon): The Columbia River Gorge cherry harvest is celebrated in June with farm tours and direct sales.
Apple Festivals
Apple festivals are a fall staple across the apple-growing regions:
Washington Apple Country: The Wenatchee area hosts apple-themed events in late September and October celebrating the harvest.
Regional apple festivals are common across New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest. Many farms host their own harvest festivals on fall weekends, with cider pressing, hayrides, live music, and special activities alongside apple picking.
Blueberry Festivals
Georgia's annual blueberry festival in Alma celebrates the region's extraordinary blueberry production. Michigan farms in the western lakeshore region host blueberry celebrations in July and August.
Harvest Festivals
A catch-all category, harvest festivals typically run on fall weekends from September through October. They are most commonly at farms that combine:
- Pumpkin patches
- Corn mazes
- Apple orchards
- Hayrides
- Farm food
Well-organized harvest festivals can draw thousands of visitors on peak fall weekends. They combine the u-pick tradition with entertainment in ways that make the farm a full-day family destination.
Activities at harvest festivals often include:
- Corn cannons and corn pits (giant corn kernels to play in)
- Barrel train rides for young children
- Petting zoos
- Pie-eating contests and cooking demonstrations
- Live music (bluegrass, folk, and country music are typical)
- Craft vendors
- Food trucks and farm food vendors
Lavender Festivals
Lavender farms host festivals during peak bloom (typically late June and July). The Sequim Lavender Festival in Washington is the largest, drawing visitors from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Oregon and California lavender farms also host events during their bloom windows.
Farm-Hosted Special Events (Beyond Festivals)
Individual farms host a range of special events beyond large festivals:
Farm Dinners
Farm-to-table dinners on working farms have become popular agritourism events. Guests dine outdoors among the crops, with food sourced from the farm and local producers. These events typically require advance reservation and carry a per-person fee.
School Field Trips
Most well-organized u-pick farms offer structured educational programs for school groups. These typically include farm tours, hands-on picking experiences, and sometimes visits to farm animals. Scheduling is done in advance through the farm.
Private Events
Birthday parties, corporate team-building events, and family reunions at farms have grown significantly. Many farms now offer private booking of their facilities for groups, often including picking, hayrides, and farm food.
Seasonal Special Events
- Halloween maze events in October (haunted versions of corn mazes)
- Christmas tree lighting events at choose-and-cut farms in December
- Valentine's Day flower farm events at farms that grow winter flowers or sell dried lavender products
- Wildflower and tulip festivals at specialty cut flower farms in spring
How to Find Events at U-Pick Farms
Farm Websites and Newsletters
The most reliable source for a specific farm's event calendar is the farm's own website. Many farms with regular events maintain an events calendar page, and farms with email newsletters often send advance notice of upcoming events.
Farm Social Media
Instagram and Facebook are where farms most reliably post current information. Following farms you enjoy visiting ensures you see event announcements. Farm social media also typically includes current crop status updates and day-of information about conditions.
Local Tourism Websites
County and regional tourism websites often aggregate farm events into seasonal guides. Search "[your county] agritourism events" or "[your state] farm festival guide."