Heavy rain canceled opening weekend at Hunsader Farms’ 2026 Pumpkin Fest, and the fallout reached further than the pumpkin patch. The Bradenton farm draws roughly 100,000 visitors a year during the festival and estimates tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue from the closure, according to farm representative Blake Sliker.
Among the vendors affected was Marcy MacPherson, who sells pumpkins at the fest and runs the nonprofit Dementiability, which supports people with dementia and their caregivers. Hunsader Farms donates pumpkin sale proceeds to her organization, and the lost weekend meant about $800 in donations that never came in. MacPherson says the cost goes beyond money: the funds pay for training and education that help families communicate with their loved ones.
The festival is back open, and the final weekend runs Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you’ve been planning a trip, this is the last chance this season. Have you been out to the Pumpkin Fest yet?
