15th Annual MLUMC Pumpkin Patch October 5-31, 2012
Miami Lakes United Methodist Church
15th Annual PUMPKIN PATCH
October 5-31, 2012
10:00am – 9:00pm
We have tons of fun scheduled at the Pumpkin Patch this year. Literally! A truckload contains over 2000 pumpkins and weighs over 43,000 pounds! You must come and bring your children. Check out all we have planned.
Two and a half truckloads of pumpkins are coming this year!
NOTE: The truckload originally scheduled to arrive on Thursday the 4th will now arrive on Friday the 5th at 4:00pm. Another truckload will arrive on Friday, October 12 at 4:00pm and a half load comes Monday, October 22 at 4:00pm. Students needing volunteer hours please call and let us know you are coming 305-821-7274.
Pumpkins of all sizes will be available for purchase along with Indian corn, and decorative gourds of all shapes. Also for sale are retail items and Joni’s famous pumpkin bread.
Picnic-in-the-Patch and Bonfire are scheduled for Saturday, October 13 from 5:00-8:00pm. There will be a pumpkin carving contest at 5:00 with prizes and supervised games followed by a bonfire complete with s’mores. Feel free to bring your own food or purchase a hamburger or hotdog when you come. Drinks and chips will also be available for purchase. Bring a blanket to sit on but please leave the alcoholic beverages at home.
School Field Trips will be held every weekday morning from 9:00-noon beginning Monday, October 8. We are taking it up a notch this year adding science explorations and a pumpkin catapult sure to entertain and educate children up through 4th grade. Cost is $5.00 per child and includes all the interactive activities, songs, refreshments (cookies and lemonade or water), a little pumpkin for each child, a goodie bag which includes a coin for a free kids meal at any Flanigan’s restaurant, and a group photo for the classroom. Call 305-821-7274 to schedule.
Kidz Rock, the Miami Lakes United Methodist Church children’s program, is held every Wednesday from 4:30 – 6:00pm. All children ages kindergarten through 5th grade are invited. We start with Pastor’s playtime outside, next is a lesson and fun activities, and we follow up with a simple dinner in the Fellowship Hall. Dinner is $3.00.
Photo opportunities abound at the Pumpkin Patch. Admission to the Pumpkin Patch is free. Donations are always welcome.
Outdoor Movie Nights will be Saturday, October 6 (The Muppets), Friday, October 19 (The Lorax), Saturday, October 20 (Madagascar 3) & Saturday, October 27 (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) at 7:00 pm. The movies are free. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.
Flanigan’s Dinner, Magic Show & Movie will be Saturday, October 20 at 6:00pm. Come for great food, a super magic act by Cesar Domico, and stay for the movie that follows. Advance purchase price for adults is $10 (ages 13 and up) and $5 for children (ages 12 and under). Tickets purchased at the door will cost more: $12 adults/$6 children. To purchase your tickets, visit the church office or call 305-821-7274. Be sure to bring your advance-purchase ticket to the dinner to avoid having to pay full price at the door.
Craft Show will be held Saturday, October 27 from 10:00am – 7:00pm. Come and do some early gift shopping. While you’re at it, stay for our always-popular Fall Festival! Crafters interested in participating may download the application.
Fall Festival will be Saturday, October 27 from 4:00-7:00pm. There will be pony rides, games, crafts, face painting, a slide/maze, petting zoo and music followed by a movie at 7:00 p.m. Admission to the festival and movie is free. Some activities are free; others have a minimal charge. Food will be available for purchase.Check out the photos from 2011!
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Pumpkin Deliveries. Thank you to the over 200 youth that participated in the first unloading. What a terrific help and sight to see! Photos of first unloading. |
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Bonfire for Kids and Parents: Bummer! Too much rain on opening day foiled our initial plans. Not to worry! The Bonfire for Kids and Parents was changed to Friday, October 14 at 7:00 pm. Games and s’mores were a big hit. Want to see the bonfire photos? |
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Field Trips: Weekday mornings, 9:00 am - noon. Call the church office to schedule your class field trip 305-821-7274. Click here to see photos of field trips. |
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Picnic-in-the-Patch: Saturday, October 15, 5:00 - 9:00 pm What a great night! Lots of entrants to the pumpkin carving contest. Cesar Domico wowed the crowd with his magic act and the Movie "Rio" was a hit until the rain got in the way. Check out the Picnic photos. |
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Flanigan's Dinner & Hootenanny: Saturday, October 22, 6:00 - 9:00 pm What a fabulous time! Generous portions of Flanigan's famous chicken and ribs with all the sides were scarfed up within an hour and a half. If you missed it, you missed out. Come early next year. The line dancing was a blast. Sorry to say the mechanical bull "died" an electrical death and we had to substitute with rock wall climbing and calf roping but inspite of all that we all had a great time. Check out the photos here. |
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Fall Festival & Craft Show: Saturday, October 29, 4:00 - 7:00 pm Pony rides, face painting, obstacle course & super slide, kiddie slide, craft show, petting zoo, games, music, food, and movie at 7:00. We had it all but the rain just got in the way. A big WE'RE SORRY ABOUT THE WEATHER for this year but put us on the calendar for next year. A big thank you to all the crafters that defied the weather. Click here to see what you missed. |
For a downloadable calendar click here
Check back often. Listings and details may change.
Pumpkin Patch 2010
We had a fabulous season last year. Our best yet! Thank you to all who helped and to all who attended. See photos on our Photo Gallery page.
A Little Pumpkin Patch History
Every year we have a Pumpkin Patch as our major fundraiser. The whole community is invited for fun and photo opportunities and, of course, the opportunity to purchase pumpkins! We always have a fall festival with lots of activities for the kids. Last year there was a bounce house, pony rides, face painting, crafts, hamburgers, hotdogs and ice cream. Mark your calendars for the month of October and come join us. If you've been before, thanks for coming. If you haven't yet, we've missed you. Plan on joining us next year.
Before the fall festival we have to make sure there are lots and lots of pumpkins. We bring in a truck load of them from New Mexico (this time maybe TWO trucks) and the whole community joins us for the unloading party. The truck contains over 2000 pumpkins of all sizes and the pumpkins weigh over 43,000 lbs.! Want to see how they load the truck? It's a great opportunity for the kids to earn community service hours and they have a lot of fun in the process. There is always pizza and soft drinks at the end.
The Pumpkin Patch at Miami Lakes United Methodist Church helps young and old alike experience a taste of autumn. The pumpkins arrive early in the second week of October and students who need community service hours are welcome to come help unload the truck.
Crafters Invited to Fall Festival
The already popular annual Pumpkin Patch at Miami Lakes United Methodist Church has opened up it’s venue to crafters during the Fall Festival which is held the Saturday before Halloween. Interested crafters may contact Barbara 305-827-3697 or via e-mail barbara@babagraphics.net for more information.
Field Trips
Visits to the patch have become a popular field trip event for many school children and also some senior citizen groups. For $4.00 each, children play interactive games, learn all about pumpkpins from our very own Professor Pumpkin, get refreshments, a little pumpkin of their choice, a goodie bag and as much time to wander through the Pumpkin Patch as their leaders will allow. Field trips may be scheduled by calling the church office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and noon at 305-821-7274.
Wonderful Photo Opportunities
Families are welcome to come any time to wander through the patch and take pictures. It's FREE but donations to offset the cost of the Pumpkin Patch are always welcome. We are eternally grateful to all of you who have been so generous.
Thank you all for letting us be a part of your lives in this small way.
God bless you.