Pumpkins & Pippins Fall Festival 2025

Support Buttonwood Nature Center, home of The Institute by bringing your family to a fall celebration of Pumpkins & Pippins!

Our fifth annual Pumpkins and Pippins fall festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 18 from noon to 4 p.m.
Location is Pine Hill Recreation Area, 12684 Mentzer Gap Road, Waynesboro, PA.

A fundraiser for Buttonwood, the festival includes a full slate of activities and fun for all ages, including a ‘kid zone’ with yard games, a StoryWalk® hike & activity, a photo stand and more.

Pony rides for kids from Serendipity Horse Meadows Farm provide a fun, memorable experience during the festival. In addition, craft vendors offer a variety of wares.

Sugar Hollow Farm Alpacas will be on site during the festival with several alpacas for visiting.

“We also have a pie walk, a pumpkin patch, and a decorated pumpkin contest,” said Jessica Watson, Buttonwood’s assistant director and event organizer. “We invite everyone to support Buttonwood Nature Center by bringing your family to a fall celebration of Pumpkins & Pippins.”

A star attraction is the ever-popular trebuchet pumpkin launcher, which will run throughout the day sending pumpkins flying through the sky. Trebuchets are giant catapult devices that originated in medieval times.

“Our famous trebuchet was built by volunteers who researched the devices thoroughly to create an authentic working model,” Watson said. “Our trebuchet hurls pumpkins, and it’s great fun to watch how far they fly.”

Check back for the flier on our annual DECORATED PUMPKIN CONTEST—You could WIN $100!
See the official contest rules here.

Live music is a festival mainstay. Enjoy the sound of Mountain Air, performing a mix of acoustic contemporary folk and pop music.

The GRID (Grease, Rust, Iron & Dirt) Tractor Club from Quincy will bring antique tractors, and craft vendors offer a variety of wares. Vendors to be announced.

Those attending can buy lunch from food trucks on site. A bake sale offers a variety of homemade goodies for dessert.

Pumpkins and cider will be available for purchase.

Admission is by donation. We accept cash or check.

Sponsorship opportunities available!

Thank you to our 2025 sponsors to date:

Dave Shockey Auto: Kids Zone Sponsor

Linda Barkdoll/Ronnie Martin Realty: Raffle Sponsor

Specialty Granules, Inc. (SGI): Bake Sale Sponsor

Thanks to Denny and Kim Shockey for their pavilion rental support.

A big Thank You to our sponsors for last year’s festival!
Rouzerville Business Association: Pony Rides Sponsor 2024
Owl’s Club of Waynesboro: Band Sponsor 2024
Dave Shockey Auto: Kids Zone Sponsor 2024
Josh Mummert/Iron Valley Real Estate: Pie Walk Sponsor 2024
Specialty Granules, Inc. (SGI): Bake Sale Sponsor 2024
Linda Barkdoll/Ronnie Martin Realty: Raffle Sponsor 2024

In-Kind Donations — Pumpkins: Harlan Hess Farm; Straw: Jem Farms; Apples: Rhinehart Orchards; Apple Cider: Ivy Hill Farm

Further support by our Today’s Horizon Fund contributors: The Nora Roberts Foundation; the late Alma W. Oyer; Marge Kiersz; APX Enclosures; Don Gibe and Nancy Erlanson; and the family of the late Carolyn Terry Eddy, with daughters Connie Fleagle & Kim Larkin.

This event is a fundraiser for Buttonwood Nature Center, home of The Institute, a nonprofit organization.