Dallas

Dallas Arboretum Autumn Festival Has a Fairy-Tale Feel

It's named one of the best pumpkin festivals in the country, and it is right here in North Texas.

Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum has a "Wizard of Oz" theme this year, and everywhere you look is a sea of orange.

"We've built an Emerald City house out of pumpkins. We have the Witch's house. We have an enchanted forest, where you would come upon the Tinman and the Lion, which we have in place here. In the corn patch, we have the Scarecrow," said Dave Forehand, vice president of gardens at the Dallas Arboretum.

The Dallas Arboretum has transformed their Pecan Grove into The Wonderful World of Oz. More than 4,500 Chrysanthemums, 150,000 other fall-blooming plants and 90,00 pumpkins, squash and gourds were used to create Oz. The fall display will be open to the public from Sept. 23 to Nov. 22.

It's not your typical pumpkin patch — it's a pumpkin village, using more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squashes to complete the display.

"It was about 50 people working for about three weeks solid to get this all built and done," Forehand said.

All on one acre sits a cornucopia of veggies, and you can even pick one out as a souvenir.

From a hay maze to endless photo opportunities, the Dallas Arboretum fall festival is a fun tradition for many North Texas families.

"They're having a great time playing in the hay bales and getting to see all the pumpkins," said mother Ryan Naggar.

The Wonderful 'Pumpkin' World of Oz at The Dallas Arboretum

Family-friendly activities go on all season, including a Thursday night concert series and Monday Mommy and Me Day, featuring face painters and a petting zoo.

The Arboretum pumpkin festival runs until Nov. 22.

Tickets start at $10, and you can get a $2 discount with a State Fair of Texas ticket stub.

MORE INFORMATION: Dallas Arboretum

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