Pumpkinfest 2026
2nd Oct 2026
Get ready for an autumn adventure at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm this Pumpkinfest!
From 19 September to 1 November 2026, visitors can enjoy a seasonal day out filled with animal encounters, pumpkin picking, photo opportunities and a rather unusual challenge… learning all about poo!
Whether you’re visiting the Zoo with the family or popping into our Farm Shop to choose your perfect pumpkin, there’s plenty to discover this autumn.
Become a Certified Dung Detective
Think you know everything there is to know about animal poo? It might surprise you just how important it can be!
Our Poo at the Zoo Number 2 Trail takes visitors around the Zoo on a fun and educational mission to discover the surprising ways animals use poo.
Follow eight clues around the Zoo and uncover the secret anagram! Along the way, you’ll learn fascinating facts about animal poo and the important role it can play in the animal kingdom. Complete the trail and you could become an official Certified Dung Detective!
There’s also the chance to enter a competition to win a Family Membership for a year.
It’s a fun way for the whole family to explore the Zoo while learning something new along the way.
Pick your perfect pumpkin
No Pumpkinfest would be complete without a pumpkin! Head to our Pumpkin Patch at the Farm Shop, where you can browse the selection and choose the perfect pumpkin to take home.
The Pumpkin Patch is free to enter and is open to both Zoo visitors and members of the public who aren't visiting the Zoo, so you can pop in just to pick your pumpkin.
There are also plenty of seasonal photo opportunities around the patch, making it the perfect place to capture some autumn memories.
The Pumpkin Patch is accessible for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, so everyone can enjoy a visit.
Get your pumpkin photos
We’ll also be welcoming Lisa Victoria Photography back to the Pumpkin Patch for some special autumn photos.
Lisa will be taking photographs of visitors on 17 October and during half term.
There’s absolutely no pressure to purchase any of the professional photographs taken, and visitors will be given a QR code to view the photographs and decide if you’d like to buy any. Lisa will also make a donation to our charity from the photographs purchased.
Discover more during half term
Keep an eye out for our Conservation Dome, where our Education Team will be running themed public engagement sessions at selected times during the half-term period.
Sessions will run Monday to Friday and are subject to availability, so we recommend checking the times when you arrive at the Zoo.
From discovering the surprising science behind animal poo to choosing your perfect pumpkin, Pumpkinfest 2026 is the perfect excuse to enjoy an autumn day out at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm.
Pumpkinfest runs from 19 September to 1 November 2026.
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