Basse’s Pumpkin Fest

Finally the leaves are changing their colors and the air is getting that cool crisp fall feeling! That means it’s time to get spooky season started!

Our first event of the season is a trip to a pumpkin patch but instead of heading to the typical scene of a field of pumpkins and maybe a corn maze we went to the more adventure filled Basse’s Pumpkin Fest. Situated on a large plot of farm land outside of the city, Basse’s holds an event each fall with around 60 attractions for both the young and young at heart and a miltitude of special events like pig racing, wildwest showdown, a 8 acre Corn Maze, and a candy canon! Basse’s definitely beats your typical pumpkin patch scene.

With so much to do where do we, two childless adults, even begin in this family oriented Festival? The Barncade, arcade in a barn, of course. With digital pinball, Pac-Man and many other games Jerry and I could have spent a long time in here but after losing a few rounds of pinball we realized we could play games at home. However, we couldnt race each other on tricycles a few sizes too small for us on a paved race track whenever we wanted.

Attempting to navigate the course and weave around small children there was only one victor and one person with a bruised knee at the end of the course. Jerry’s ego, about as bruised as his knee, hobbled off the course and requested we do something a little less dangerous. Figuring food is always a good way to lift spirits we browsed around the many food trucks and beer house on the property.

Carriage sitting inside the beer house.

What could be better than pairing an Apple Wheat Ale and a big bowl of pulled brisket Mac n’ Cheese? For us at that time, nothing. I had assumed we might have leftovers to bring home but we absolutely demolished the delicous food.

With our new energy from the food we went off to explore more of the grounds. We stopped at any game not over run by children and played when we could. All the games were included in ticket price so we did our best to try all that sounded interesting.

We also pet some livestock animals and met a couple of goats that really loved the look of Jerry’s phone.

Imagine getting lost in here....

After enough time playing the games we decided to do something a bit more mentally challenging. The 8 acre corn maze.

To keep people from truly getting lost and stuck in the maze the Fest gave each group a print out with twelve questions to direct themselves through the maze. Would have been great to follow if it wasn’t about the Beetle Juice movies which neither of us had a strong knowledge of. But who really needs to follow the questions when you have Jerry who see’s a short cut and gets us from check point two to eleven in mere minutes?

Look at this rebel... 

Within a span of five minutes Jerry and I had completed the 8 acre maze and instead of going back through and trying to play fair we opted to walk out looking like a couple of smug fools. Noses high and ego's inflated we made our way to the opposite side of the property and played some more games that Jerry absolutely crushed me in. We started with tug o' war, automatically a loss for me. We than played pumpkin checkers. If it was chess I wouldn't have opted to playing it but I figured since I knew chess I could stand a small chance against Jerry. 

I was wrong. He was captain of his Chess team in high school and I believe he went to nationals even. I stand no chance against him in strategy games. 

The pout of absolute defeat.

To calrify. Jerry is playing the white mini pumpkins. He has three kings. I had to scrifice so many of my good men (pumpkins) to his army just to get that one king. RIP to my good soliders.

Crushed and ego bruised I needed a win, but no. Jerry and I opted to play Connect Four. Why would I subject myself to another strategy game that he can easily beat me at? Well, for some context Jerry and I started talking online while playing a text message version of Connect Four. It was super cute and fun but over the past five years together it has morphed into an inside joke and competition. Now, when we see giant Connect Four at places like Dave n’ Busters or at a family friendly pumpkin fest we have to play.

Within these past five years and many Connect Four challenges I have only won once… today that one singular win would remain just as is. I have no strategy skills and half the time I’m putting the pieces down with little thought. So, of course he won each match today as well.

His win. 

To be fair I did kick his butt at the basket ball shot game earlier today, so I didn’t walk out the fest with only loses.

We stopped to grab a Peach Bellini Slushy afterwards, a sweet alcoholic drink to help ease my pain.

Look how cute it is! The little peach ring and all. 

It was super tasty, not a huge alchol content, but overall good. We only wished they offered straws and napkins at purchase. The wind would blow the excess liquid over the edge and down your hands (you can see it on Jerry’s hand in the picture even) and the slush was difficult to drink unless nearly melted. 7/10.

Up until this point, Jerry and I have been really up in the air about if we should get pumpkins or not this year but we decided to get one at least. Hopping onto the tractor pull we were drove to the pumpkin patch to find our new buddy to take home with us.

We had plenty to choose from at the drop off point but Jerry and I wanted to be “unique“ and ran out to the far end of the patch to pick from. We missed the first tractors return picking our pumpkin and as we wandered around we decided our one pumpkin would need a friend so now we were getting two.

Not the pumpkin we decided on but look how cute it is. So small and easily carryable. A smart pick.

I go for the heft of pumpkins, I’m hoping if it’s heavier that means more seeds inside to bake. I found the heaviest boy I could and carried him around with me for the next 10 extra minutes it took Jerry to find his, as round as possible, pumpkin.

Jerry and his round boy.

Successfully paying for the pumpkins I was worried about the long trek back to the car to drop these off. We had to park far from the enterance when we arrived because thirty minutes after opening the lot was over half full. Luckily the farm had thought this through and had wagons for us to cart them back to the car in.

Look at Jerry being such a kind boy and carting them the whole way back. I appreciate him so much. 

So, you can’t carry the pumpkins in the fest grounds, which is why we had to cart them back. You are allowed re-entry though when you come back but we had already been at the Fest for over three hours. Two hours longer than I was anticipating. Opting to skip going back in we went to the shop and picked up some snacks from the gift shop.

Snack Ratings:

Apple Cider Donuts - 7/10, delicious but just tastes like a cinnamon sugar cake donut from Kwik Trip.

Watermelon Licorice - 8/10 Strong watermelon flavor (too strong for me but perfect to Jerry) and good gummy texture.

Apple - 10/10 Can’t go wrong with fresh apples!

I had no idea what to expect when I found the place online a week ago but I can say all expectations were blown out the water. It was so much fun and we spent a lot more time here than both of us had expected to.

Basse’s Pumpkin Fest is a must do if you are looking for something fun to do with your family or as a cute date with your significant other. Rest assured, there are a wide varety of things for adults to do but if you are a kid at heart you will want to do even the sillier things like go down the giant slide, play the cow piano, or tumble around in a spinning tube.