by CrowdFlow Co
If you're in Des Moines looking for something to do for Halloween that isn't a mall trick-or-treat or a haunted house your kids will regret, there's a farm 35 minutes north on I-35 that runs three Halloween weekends back to back. Pumpkin Nights keeps the farm open until 9 PM every Friday and Saturday in October with fireworks on Saturdays. Costume Weekend is trick-or-treating across a 25-acre farm. Pumpkin Destruction closes the season by launching the leftover pumpkins. Here's how the three fit together and which one to pick.
| Event | Dates | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin Nights | Fri & Sat, Oct 2–3, 9–10, 16–17, 23–24 | 9 AM to 9 PM | Date nights, older kids, anyone who wants fireworks |
| Costume Weekend | Sat & Sun, Oct 24–25 | Regular hours (until 9 PM on the 24th) | Little kids, first Halloweens, family photos |
| Pumpkin Destruction | Sat & Sun, Nov 7–8 | Regular hours | Everyone who wants to watch a pumpkin get wrecked |
The farm is at 32835 610th Avenue in Cambridge, Iowa. About 35 minutes from downtown Des Moines, 25 from Ankeny, 20 from Ames. Closed Tuesdays. Fall season runs through November 8.
Pumpkin Nights is new for 2026 and it's the reason this post exists. On four Fridays and Saturdays in October the farm stays open until 9 PM, with lights strung through the orchard and across the activity areas, a fire pit for s'mores, and a new games and photo-op area built specifically for evenings. Everything that's open during the day stays open: the pumpkin patch, the slides, the train, the jumping pillows, the bakery. You just get to do it under string lights instead of afternoon sun.
Fireworks go up every Saturday night of Pumpkin Nights: October 3, 10, 17, and 24. Check the Pumpkin Nights page for the launch time before you go; it moves with sunset.
Who it's for: this is the one to pick if you're coming without kids. A fall date night that starts with apple picking at five, runs through s'mores at seven, and ends with fireworks is a real plan, and it's 35 minutes from downtown. It also works for families with kids old enough to stay up past eight. Toddlers tend to fade before the fireworks.
What it costs: standard admission. Farm'All Pass and Fall Season Pass holders are covered, and weekday tickets are cheaper than weekend, so a Friday Pumpkin Nights is the better deal than a Saturday.
October 24 and 25. Come in costume, kids and adults both, and trick-or-treat across the farm with candy stops spread through the attractions. The Pumpkin Princess is out both days. The pumpkin patch is still open, so you can pick your carving pumpkin in a costume, which is the photo your relatives will actually want.
Saturday the 24th is the day to circle. It's the last night of Pumpkin Nights, so the farm stays open until 9 and the final fireworks show of the season goes up that night. Trick-or-treat in the afternoon, dinner at the food venues, s'mores at the fire pit, fireworks. One ticket. Sunday the 25th is the quieter version: same costumes, same candy, normal closing time, easier parking.
Who it's for: little kids, first Halloweens, anyone who wants a daylight trick-or-treat where nobody's checking the street for cars.
November 7 and 8, the final two days of the season. Every pumpkin that didn't get picked gets a send-off: launched, dropped, smashed, and generally wrecked across two days of contests and finale moments. It's loud, it's messy, and it's one of the few events of its kind in Central Iowa.
It's also the week after Halloween, which means it's the answer to "we're not done with fall yet." The orchard's apple picking has closed by then (last day is November 2) but the bakery is running, the Thanksgiving pie pre-orders open that weekend, and the attractions are all open. Details on what's being smashed and when are on the Pumpkin Destruction page as the weekend gets closer.
| If you're… | Go on | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A couple, no kids | Friday Oct 9 or 16 | Pumpkin Nights, weekday pricing, smaller crowds than Saturday, no fireworks but no lines either |
| A couple who wants fireworks | Saturday Oct 10 or 17 | Full Pumpkin Nights with the show. Arrive by 4, pick apples before dark |
| Family with kids under 6 | Sunday Oct 25 | Costume Weekend without the Pumpkin Nights crowd. Daylight trick-or-treat, home by dinner |
| Family with kids 6 and up | Saturday Oct 24 | Costume Weekend plus the last Pumpkin Nights plus fireworks. The biggest single day of the season |
| Anyone who hates crowds | Friday Oct 2 or Halloween itself, Saturday Oct 31 | Opening Pumpkin Nights is the quietest. October 31 has no special event and most people are at parties |
| Done with Halloween, not done with fall | Nov 7 or 8 | Pumpkin Destruction. Last chance at the corn maze and the bakery until spring |
A note on crowds: the second and third Saturdays of October are the busiest days of the year at the farm. If those are your only options, arrive at opening. The first two hours are calm.
I-35 north to Exit 102, then five miles east on Highway 210. Parking is in a field and it's free. Drive times from around the metro, plus turn-by-turn from 26 Central Iowa towns, are on the directions page. If you're coming for fireworks, plan to leave the west metro by 3 PM on a Saturday; the last hour before dark is the busiest arrival window.
Bringing a youth group, church group, or a big family? Evening Group Nights run on the same October dates with a reserved campfire, s'mores, and cider for 25 or more. Details on the group reservations page.
Standard admission covers Pumpkin Nights, Costume Weekend, and Pumpkin Destruction. Weekdays are priced lower than weekends. If you're coming more than twice this fall, the Farm'All Pass pays for itself on the third visit.
Buy Tickets Or see the full fall calendar, week by week