-Enhance Your Weekend Visit at the Patch-
TGPP Express Wagon Ride – Far more than a mere rack-wagon ride, in 15 minutes you will hear fascinating accounts that are unique to this farm, blended with practical customs that are universal to all farms. Recall just how colorful the fabric of US history is. Remember how courageous and driven our ancestors were, and how powerful even the simplest of human interactions with nature are. These rides happen all day long on weekends for $2 for ages over 6; 5 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult.
TGPP Museum – Immediately as you enter through Admissions, we have housed our historic museum. Come through to view many old, authentic farm relics, family stories with restored original photographs, some filmed events that are looped on a TV screen, and a sensory exhibit for children of all ages that offers an abbreviated venue for “Exploring the Patch.”
Face Painting – We have found some incredibly talented artists to share in the joy of face painting. Kids of all ages make their way into our Taste of the Patch to “get their glam and sparkle on,” to illustrate their favorite action or storybook characters, and to proudly pose for those special friend- and family-outing photos that will grace the pages of their scrapbooks. Don’t miss out on this creative and expressive fun. Check our Special In-Season schedule.
Gourd Vendors – We have the luxury of presenting some of Illinois’ most talented gourd artists to promote their amazing wares here at TGPP. Come see for yourself how unique and exclusive these artifacts are, and take the opportunity to speak directly with the artist. You will have access to competitively priced collections of jewelry, accessories, ageless toys, musical instruments, household implements, daily and seasonal décor, practical tools and gear. Check our Gourd Artist/Vendor schedule.
Entertainment – We have a handful of gifted musical guests who return each year due to the popular demand of our annual visitors. Our weekend crowds also have the opportunity to witness re-enactments of US colonial living or of native American customs and lifestyles, or educational demonstrations of early Americana. We often have the genuine pleasure of radio and television stations along with newspaper and magazine writers and photographers wishing to inform their listeners, viewers and readers of all the exciting, up-to-the-minute TGPP events . . . detailing just what it is that makes The Great Pumpkin Patch of Arthur Illinois so great and so unique! Check our Weekend Entertainment schedule.
Squash Tasting – One focal point of TGPP weekends that draws in a steady stream of inquisitive patrons is our squash tasting tent. Very understandably, one enjoys the chance to do a bit of taste-testing before loading up their shopping wagon with freshly harvested squash, along with TGPP’s second edition of “The Pumpkin Eater” cookbook. Squash is very nutritional [low cal/low fat, 0 cholesterol, very low sodium & sugars, moderate to high in A & C and dietary fiber, plus calcium, iron and essential trace minerals], and the chef can share some prepping, cooking and baking tips to emphasize the ease and versatility of having squash in your daily menus. Check our Special In-Season schedule.
The Two-Mile Sweet Shop – Daily during the week, the Two-Mile has a fresh supply of candies, suckers, fudges, all sorts of Homestead Bakery goodies, ice cream, caramel apples, chips, soda-pop, bottled water, coffee (w/flavored creamers), icey apple cider slushies, popcorn and hot dogs. Then each weekend, we amp-up that menu with tasty treats such as BBQ pork sandwich on a bun, PB&J sandwich, or sliced turkey and cheese sandwich on our Homestead Bakery honey wheat bread, along with hot apple cider.
The Pumpkin Eatery – Here is where you find your warm and hearty choices, such as cheeseburger, hot dog, BBQ pork sandwich, corn dog, grilled sweet corn, French fries, nachos w/cheese, kettle chips. And you can top them off with choices of apple cider slushie, bottled sodas, water, power drinks and pumpkin sippers.
The Pumpkin Creamery – This is where you come for the best ice cream around. We bring to you the creamiest and most savory ice cream in the top three fall varieties of chocolate, vanilla and our specialty flavor of pumpkin. Lap it from a fresh cake cone, or spoon it out of a cup.
Kettle Korn – Who can resist the tantalizing aroma of popcorn in the air? Especially when it is sprinkled with a subtle trace of sweetness. That’s what kettle popcorn is all about . . . that gentle sweetness of either sugar or honey added to those freshly popped kernels that are then dusted with just the right amount of salt. Kettle popcorn doesn’t overpower your taste buds, it simultaneously satisfies both your sweet and your salty cravings. Watching kettle popcorn being popped is almost as enjoyable as eating these tasty kernels of crunchy goodness . . . almost! Check our Special In-Season schedule.
The Homestead Bakery – Catching up with us as we take our made-from-scratch Amish baked goodies on the road doesn’t give you the full impact of The Homestead Bakery here at its home site. Here you can watch firsthand as dozens of warm cookies slide out of gigantic ovens, as cinnamon rolls are skillfully kneaded and rolled, as cut-out cookies are expertly iced, as rhubarb nut breads are crowned with their secret sweet topping, or as these mesmerizing scents and visions tease your senses when walking through our front door. Indeed, we are more than a bakery. You’ll find other delicious fresh food items, along with knickknacks, trinkets, antiques and souvenirs.