Best St. Petersburg-Area Pumpkin Patches 2020

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — While you may not find too many genuine Florida pumpkins for Halloween, fall tradition for many families includes a visit to a local pumpkin patch. The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has caused some of the region's pumpkin patches to modify how they operate, but quite a few will be open this fall. We'll have more hours, attractions and activities as the pumpkin-picking season ramps up.

Chris Winkler of the Pumpkin Patch Florida said most of the pumpkins sold in Florida around Halloween are grown in other states.

Illinois, California and Indiana grew more pumpkins than any of the 16 states that reported statistics to the U.S. Department of Agricultural Statistics Service last year. Illinois alone produced420 million pounds of the Halloween staple.

Florida does have 73 Farms with 91 acres of pumpkins, but Florida accounts for less than 1 percent of the U.S. total production of pumpkins.

"They'll grow (here) but they need the cooler nights," Winkler told Patch. "It's 120 days from seed to harvest. My father years ago tried. We did 40 acres, and we could put all the pumpkins in a pickup truck."

In many cases, coronavirus precautions have merely changed — not shut down — area pumpkin patches and their entertainment options. Below is a list of some of our favorite pumpkin patches near St. Petersburg.

St. Pete Pier

Address: (under the Bending Arc by Janet Echelman) 800 2nd Ave NE

Season opening/closing dates: Oct. 16 through Oct. 25

Attractions: Photo opportunities, and all that the St. Pete Pier has to offer.

Hours:

• Friday, Oct. 16, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 19 through Thursday, Oct. 22, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission: Free

Website

Gallagher's Pumpkin and Christmas Tree's Patch

Address: 7401 4th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704

Season opening/closing dates: Open daily.

Attractions: Photo opportunities, homemade pie orders, goat pen with feed and the location's famous vintage truck.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily

Admission: Free admission.

Phone: (727) 519-3732

Website

Pasadena Community Church

Address: 227 70th St. S., St. Petersburg

Season opening/closing dates: Oct. 9 through Oct. 31

Attractions: Photo opportunities, and at 4 p.m. on Oct. 9 you can help the youth unload the pumpkin delivery.

Hours: Sunday from 1 p.m.to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission: Free

Phone: 727-381-2499

Website

Heritage United Methodist Church

Address: 2680 Landmark Drive, Clearwater, FL

Season opening/closing dates: Oct. 10 through 30

Attractions: Website mentions pumpkin delivery.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and opens at 12 p.m. on Oct. 10

Admission: Free

Phone: 727- 796-1329

Website

Tampa Bay Farmer's Market

Address: 10001 North Armenia Avenue, Tampa, FL

Season opening/closing dates: Open daily

Attractions: Shop fresh, local produce and pumpkins.

Hours: Monday through Saturday from 8a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission: Free

Phone: 813-876-7888

Website