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Fall into fun at the Harvest Festival
The Farm Center's annual event returns with rides, food and scares
Lorrie Reyes / Roundup
Temperatures rose to the upper 90s during the Pierce College Farm Center’s fifth annual Halloween Festival, which opened Thursday and runs through Nov. 1.
Despite the heat, there were numerous families who withstood the blaring sun hoping to get a jump start on the festivities the season had to offer.
While the catchy bluegrass music that blared throughout the 22-acre farm echoed to the distant corners of the festival, event workers searched for any inch of shade to keep cool.
One Pierce College student who will be attending the festival is Stacie Wight, the newly hired pony ride attendant and current veterinary technology student. She has helped the Farm Center in the past and is excited to be working at the festival.
“We provide a positive atmosphere to the community,” Wight said.
In addition to pony rides, other popular daytime activities include the corn maze, pumpkin picking — with pumpkins as large as 85 pounds — a bungee bounce, carousel, a petting zoo with newly built suspended walkways for the goats and a variety of other events sure to keep a kid’s eyes brightly lit at each turn of the head.
As dusk arrives, the feeling of fall finally begins to settle in as the air begins to cool.
As the wind picks up and the children’s activities close, the popular Creatures of the Corn Haunted Trail and the Night Adventure Corn Maze during Fright Fair Scream Park After Dark can open.
The Factory of Nightmares haunted house, which has new scares and will be “much scarier than last year,” according to third-year seasonal worker Michelle Romine, will open its doors tomorrow.
Admission to the Halloween Harvest Festival for both the day and evenings is $4.
Attraction tickets must also be purchased for each activity, which range from $10 to $20 each in the day and $12 to $30 each at night.
There are currently no student discounts for Pierce College students.
“We are not giving student discounts (for the Halloween Harvest Festival),” said Kathy McBroom, Farm Center manager. Students and faculty do receive discounts on produce in the Farm Market.
With no discounts being given to Pierce Students and the same general concept as previous festivals, what would make a Pierce student attend the festival this year?
“I’m not sure if I will be going,” said Pablo Saldarriaga, full-time Pierce College student. “Money is a little tight this year and I’m not sure if it’s worth it.”
Although prices seem steep — costing $12 if you only go to one attraction, plus an entrance fee — the Farm Center has a way to balance a portion of the scale with a Metro Pass discount. Admission to the festival is free if you present an MTA ticket dated the same day. A $2 admission discount coupon for the Fright Fair Scream Park After Dark can also be found at the festival’s Web site.
