The Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival announces the dates for the third and final year of the beloved Fall festival, taking place over six uniquely-themed weekends from Sept. 23 to Oct. 29, 2023, with their official grand opening the weekend of Sept. 23 - 24. The event will again be held at the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead (located at 419 Founders Park Rd. Dripping Springs, Texas 78620). The festival will be open for six weekends in the fall, each Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 and admission is free for children three and under as well as seniors (65+). Parking for the event is also free of charge. Pre-sale tickets are available for purchase here, and walk-up tickets are limited. Media and their guests are invited to attend the grand opening weekend on Saturday, Sept. 23 and Sunday, Sept. 24 with more details to be announced soon. To RSVP for media passes, please contact the team at Juice Consulting here. For complete event details and tickets please see here.
It became the festival's mission to fundraise for the Pound House's restoration after learning that the museum had been shuttered for three years due to weather damage and mold,
said Christopher Durst, Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival Co-founder and Producer. The history of the Dr. Pound Farmstead is incredibly fascinating and captivating, which is why we have become such protectors and stewards of the property. Through the festival's fundraising efforts, we have been able to collectively donate nearly $300,000 in monetary contributions, goods and services to the Pound House and our local community. I'm happy to announce that the Friends of the Pound House Foundation recently completed restoration of the Pound House and they are preparing to reopen the museum just in time for the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival's final season.
Sponsors for this year's festival will be Texas Dance Supply, Juice Consulting, Fitzhugh Brewing and The Art Garage. The family celebration will feature over 50 fall-inspired games, activities and attractions spanning four areas. There will be headlining performances by Henry Invisible and other live music artists to be announced, an incredible selection of seasonal foods and beverages for children and adults alike, attractions for all ages such as fowl play bingo, armadillo races, camel rides and a hay maze in Swing Village. The festival will also feature a robust shopping experience with family-friendly products and goods from local Central Texas vendors, a drinkery hosted by Solaro Estate Winery and Fitzhugh Brewing, and a boutique cafe by Afuga Coffee in the Courtyard Marketplace.
Festival-goers can also take part in a variety of games in Kids' Village including Barnyard Volley, Dueling Outlaws, Hen House Scramble, Kids Axe Throwing, Patch Pong, Pioneer Bowling, and the Rooster Run as well as additional activities such as life-sized 3D Impression art, LED seesaws, bouncy bull riding, lassoing, chalk graffiti, mount haymore, and a corn pit. The Pumpkin Patch will showcase over 30 unique and colorful species of gourds, the Littles Pickin' Patch, Lost Souls Cemetery, Dee Jay Bones and an abundance of fall-inspired photo opportunities.
Other attractions and activities ranging from a minimum of $3 - $15 include face painting, balloon art, caricature art, henna, tie-dyeing, pumpkin painting, barrel rides, pony and camel rides, an exotic petting zoo and parakeet encounter. For a complete list of pricing, please see here. Other special programming details will be announced in August 2023.
Festival Attendees can enjoy seasonal food and beverages from 17 local vendors including Afuga Coffee, Cilantro Tacos, Connor's Creamery, Downtown Burgers, Downtown Hot Dogs, El Mariachi Tacos, Fitzhugh Brewing, Grilled Street Corn, I Panini Sandwiches, Italian Gelato, K.O. BBQ, Pecos Pete's Teas, Pop It Like It's Hot, Smoked Turkey Legs, Solaro Estate Winery, Wetzel's Pretzels and a special food truck just for kids. Picnicking is greatly encouraged.
We are incredibly proud of our accomplishments,
said Gretchen Bray, Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival Co-founder and Production Coordinator. We would like to thank the City of Dripping Springs, our vendors, sponsors, nonprofit partners, and the tens of thousands of attendees who have helped rebuild and preserve this majestic Texas State Historical Landmark. The Dr. Pound Farmstead & Museum is finally reopening to the public after five years. We welcome all of Central Texas to join us in celebrating our last and final season at the Pound House.
Housing developments around Founders Park will consume much of the festival's current parking when completed in 2024. The historic farmstead, which is the birthplace and crown jewel of Dripping Springs, is now in jeopardy of losing its annual operating funding that the pumpkin festival provides.
It's difficult to comprehend that this is our last year at the Pound House—and, quite possibly, the final year of the festival altogether, if we are unable to identify a new property that can accommodate us,
said Will Loconto, Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival Co-founder and Partner. We are the epitome of what a community event should be. By the close of our 2023 season, we will have contributed nearly $500,000 in monetary contributions, goods and services to our local community. That's worth preserving, so we remain hopeful for the future.
Landowners with 20+ acres in Hays County who are interested in hosting the festival are encouraged to contact Christopher Durst here.
About The Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival
The Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival was created in 2021 after its founders discovered that the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead was shuttered and in serious disrepair. The event was designed to assist the Friends of the Pound House Foundation with its restoration fundraising. The festival's principal producer has been organizing local pumpkin patches with family for nearly 30 years and has a long history producing public events and music festivals.
The festival is located on the gorgeous Pound House property inside Founders Memorial Park near downtown Dripping Springs, a location that is included on the National Register of Historic Places and has been a Texas State Historical Landmark since 1965. It has been a museum since 2003, opening its doors on May 4. Today the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead provides historical education, a destination point for visitors, and a gathering place for the local community. After a hugely successful inaugural event and second season, the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival is back again for its last and final year with even more games, activities, and attractions. Patrons can donate to the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead here.
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Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival
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