Pumpkin season is here: Half Moon Bay in September, giant gourds in October

Lemos Farm is open for the season; plan a farm visit separately from October’s street festival

B.BAYLINK local living editorialUpdated 2026-09-095 min read

Want some company?Start an outing with this article’s cover

Archive photo from the 2025 Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival. The 2026 festival is October 17–18; check the official updates for this year’s program.

Archive photo · 2025MegalithAgency / CC BY 4.0 · Resized and compressed; cropped in cards Image license

What this guide helps you understand

Lemos Farm’s 2026 pumpkin season began September 5; the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival is October 17–18. Compare ticket inclusions, open days and family choices, then decide between a September farm visit and October festivities.

Families ready for a taste of fallPeople planning October weekends

You do not have to wait for Halloween to find a field of orange. Half Moon Bay’s farm season and the Pumpkin Festival on Main Street are two different outings. A farm visit can revolve around a child’s favorite activities; October’s festival brings a whole street of autumn atmosphere. Ask what your companions want to do before choosing a date, instead of packing a farm, festival and beach into one day.

Go now: Lemos Farm’s season has begun

Lemos Farm lists its 2026 pumpkin season as September 5–November 15. It opens on weekends and selected weekdays in September, daily in October and weekends in November. Check the available date and arrival slot before buying. The farm is at 12320 San Mateo Road on Highway 92 in Half Moon Bay.

For younger children, we suggest choosing two or three favorite activities and adding food and rest breaks. Check the Haunted House experience and skip it if your child dislikes scares. A child who loves trains or animals need not try everything to make the ticket feel worthwhile. An open attraction is not suitable for every child; follow onsite limits and your child’s energy.

Three checks before buying family tickets

Action checklist0 / 3

Check age, weight and activity eligibility on the current ticket page; Gold Pass pony rides are listed for ages 18 months and up, up to 70 lb, so not every child qualifies.
The ticket page says children under 14 months do not need a pass; confirm borderline ages and other pass conditions before paying.
Ticket sales are non-refundable. You may request another date, subject to confirmation by the farm; walk-in ticket availability is capacity dependent.

Check items off to organize your thoughts. Your selections reset when you leave this page.

See Lemos Farm tickets and inclusions

Use the farm’s official ticketing link, choose a date and the right pass for each person, then budget for extras.

Orange pumpkins and cornstalks in a Half Moon Bay pumpkin patch — A Half Moon Bay pumpkin patch, photographed in 2004. This shows the area’s pumpkin-season scenery, not Lemos Farm or any farm’s 2026 layout.
Archive photo · 2004JR Conlin / CC BY 2.0 · Resized and compressed; cropped in cards(opens in a new tab)Image license(opens in a new tab)

Save October dates for giant pumpkins and Main Street

The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival is confirmed for October 17–18, 2026. Its home page lists 9 a.m.–5 p.m. on Main Street. The world pumpkin weigh-off is on Monday, October 12 at the IDES Grounds. These are October previews, not street events already running in September.

Farm admission and the Main Street festival are separate arrangements. The festival’s past and current descriptions use a free-admission format, but its program details are still being updated; this guide does not carry over last year’s paid activities, parking prices or attraction arrangements. Set aside a separate budget for food, pumpkins and souvenirs whichever day you choose.

Choose the kind of weekend you want

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For an early taste of fall in September, choose an available Lemos Farm slot and make the farm your main plan; the street festival has not happened yet.
For October festivities, save October 17 or 18, then choose activities and arrival points after the full program and travel details are updated.
To control costs, set limits for tickets, travel, parking, pumpkins and food; a lower farm ticket price does not always mean the lowest total family cost.
Without a car, use the exact address to check SamTrans routes and the last return service; a downtown stop is not the farm entrance.

Check items off to organize your thoughts. Your selections reset when you leave this page.

Add a short Half Moon Bay coastal walk

Add a coast segment only if everyone has energy left, and first check parking, access and wind preparation. Keep it optional so the day can end comfortably when people are tired.

Official resources and service links

Check the original sources for your circumstances. Admission prices, hours, rules, and services may change.

Lemos Farm: pumpkin season 2026(opens in a new tab)
Check September 5–November 15, September open days and timed admission.
Lemos Farm official ticketing: 2026 Fall Pumpkin Patch(opens in a new tab)
Check the current price range, parking, pass options and paid extras.
Lemos Farm: tickets and date changes(opens in a new tab)
Check infant admission, possible sellouts and non-refundable ticket terms.
Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival: 2026 home page(opens in a new tab)
Check the October 17–18 festival and October 12 weigh-off.
Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival: event information update note(opens in a new tab)
The page flags older details and expects full 2026 information three to four weeks before the event.
SamTrans: current bus routes(opens in a new tab)
Check coastal transit and return services for your exact destination.

2026 dates, ticket scope and season opening checked September 9, 2026. Lemos Farm prices depend on the selected date and pass. The Pumpkin Festival organizer notes that some detail pages still contain 2025 information, so this guide uses confirmed 2026 dates and clearly marked previews. Archive photos do not show this year’s setup.

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