Naumkeag Pumpkin Show

Stockbridge, MA

Website: https://thetrustees.org/program/naumkeag-pumpkin-show/

Pricing: $32 ($15 children)

Type: Walk-through

Setting: Outdoor

Full Contact Option: No

Overview

The Naumkeag Pumpkin Show wasn't my first time at that location, but the prior visit was a Christmas-themed walkthrough set in the dead of winter when you're unable to feel your fingers or other extremities. That was worth the three-hour drive, so we figured an autumnal version wouldn't be too far off the mark.

Set in Norman Rockwell's hometown, it's as picture-esque as you'd imagine. A sprawling mansion, winding gardens and greenhouses, and an overlook down to a sheep pasture are then decorated with lights and pumpkins. They are the craft store carving pumpkin types, but I think that's been the general trend lately, and it has the added benefit of not smelling like your toothbrush when you bring it on vacation.

Parking is off-site, but it's not a huge deal since that makes stashing your car a bit easier. Busses depart every few minutes, so there's no real waiting, and the trip is only a few minutes. Dropping off on the overlook, there's some asian-inspired temple aesthetics from the start, which then transitions to the gardens and a greenhouse. Some food options and a winding path remain in that upper portion until you're ready to get down to the rest. Below is the greenhouse where there's some love for Little Shop of Horrors, which I recall persisting into the Christmas season.

The main path has an assortment of scenes from a graveyard to a mushroom/gnome village to a dinosaur park in the vein of Jurassic Park. Aside from the main set pieces, each grouping of pumpkins can have their own themes too.

This leads into a winding path back up to a mansion and giftshop, where you can repeat the circuit if you wish or head back to the bus. We opted to give it a second pass, since the 5:00 arrival time still allowed for some daylight, which was nice in its own right, but there was something added during the night when things could light up.

Photos

Ratings

Ambience:

The experience is based on ambience, so between the pumpkin array and the historic backdrop of the manor, it fits the bill.

Value:

The fee is a little high for what amounts to a walkthrough. The work that went into it must have been substantial, however, and it supports the Trustees and goes towards maintenance off-season. Children are much less, which helps with families.

Scares:

There are no actors, so there are no scares.