Our family had the opportunity to attend the PDOP Pumpkin Days in Pahrump for the first time this year. It’s one thing to read about the event from previous years, but to experience it firsthand was a remarkable experience.
We were shocked to see how expansive this pumpkin patch actually was!
There was a hay maze, haunted house, mechanical bull riding, pumpkins of course and so much more.
If you didn’t know, PDOP Pumpkin Days is an event for the entire community hosted by the Pahrump Disability Outreach Program (PDOP).
They are a multifaceted support group that provides support to the parents, siblings and other family members of children with any disability.
According to the Pahrump Valley Times, the PDOP Pumpkin Days raised around $50,000 before expenses this year.
That’s amazing news!
Our community came together to have fun in support of such an amazing organization.
Keep reading to find out more about our family’s experience at the 2024 PDOP Pumpkin Days in Pahrump.
Our Favorite Things at PDOP Pumpkin Days
1. Monster Dash 5K Run / 1M Family Fun Walk
Our time at PDOP’s Pumpkin Days started off with the Monster Dash on Saturday morning.
We woke up a littler earlier than usual, grabbed the baby wagon and met up with our friends to walk for an amazing cause.
Both my son and his best friend were excited to attempt to win the race together.
We didn’t want to crush their spirits by telling them the walking portion wasn’t timed. They had a blast imagining they were faster than the runners as we took the 1M shortcut.
We all had such a great time taking part in the Monster Dash!
What made it even better was seeing how excited my son was to see his dad waiting by the finish line to cheer us on.
Hopefully, he’ll be able to join us next year as this will become a yearly family tradition!
2. Photo Ops & Pumpkin Patch
After the Monster Dash and our son’s T-ball game, we headed over to the Pumpkin Days to finally see everything we had heard about online and from friends.
Of course, the photo opportunities were the first thing I noticed.
All of the Fall photo booths, backdrops, a tow truck and entire patch of pumpkins gave me joy knowing I could take an endless number of photos while my child had some fun.
3. Hay Pyramid
I may have been excited for all the photo opportunities but my five-year-old had his eyes on the giant Hay Pyramid right smack in the middle of everything.
He ran faster than I’ve ever seen after seeking our approval to climb this monstrous stack of hay!
It was such a fun activity for him to do over and over again. The rock-climbing wall was a nice touch to make it more of a challenge to reach the top.
4. Corn & Hay Jump
The next stop was the Corn & Hay Jump. My son had his eyes on this from the top of the Hay Pyramid.
What made PDOP Pumpkin Days so enjoyable for parents was being able to let the children run freely from activity to activity. We were able to watch from a close distance as our child got all of his wiggles out.
5. Fire Truck Playhouse
The Fire Truck Playhouse allowed our child’s imagination to run wild as he responded to all the emergency calls. There were even children’s shows playing in the background on a television. Although, our son was a little too preoccupied to even notice!
6. Car Smash
The Car Smash was a great opportunity for our son to get all his aggression out! He’s only five so he really doesn’t have much. The faces he made were a highlight of the day for us and his grandparents.
Even More Hands on Experiences & Rides at PDOP Pumpkin Days
If you asked my child, every single thing he experienced at PDOP Pumpkin Days was his favorite thing.
There were more activities and hands on experiences like a real Police Car, Games by Bikers Against Bullying, Train Rides, Hay Rides, Petting Zoo and a Hay Maze that we got lost in a few times.
What was New at PDOP Pumpkin Days
There were a few new things this year at PDOP Pumpkin Days that are definitely worth mentioning!
1. The Haunted Houses
From what we were told by PDOP, the Haunted Houses were new structures donated and built by Double M Construction.
I was surprised that our son wanted to experience the larger Haunted House not once but three times.
It was definitely spooky!
Too scary for your little ones?
There was also a cute, less scary version that was perfect for more photo opportunities.
2. Axe Throwing
Hatchets n Holes was at PDOP Pumpkin Days this year offering the children an opportunity to throw plastic axes at their targets. It was a very popular attraction that usually had a line!
3. Mechanical Bull Riding Contest
The mechanical bull riding contest was a new addition this year and took place the entire weekend. Our son wasn’t quite ready to ride the bull but it was enjoyable just to be a spectator as we watched both children and adults give their best shot!
Admission Costs for PDOP Pumpkin Days
You’d be surprised that most of the activities at PDOP Pumpkin Days were actually included in the admission cost.
The only things that cost extra were the Car Smash, Mechanical Bull Riding Contest (just the contest), Spaghetti Eating Contest, Monster Dash 5K/1M, to purchase a pumpkin and the food/beverages.
What did we pay in 2024?
- $7 for one day admission
- $10 for a two day weekend pass
- $15 for a three day weekend pass
Not having to worry about buying tickets for each attraction made our day stress free.
Prices may change from year to year, but it has always been an affordable event for the community thanks to all the wonderful sponsors.
Tips for Parents attending PDOP Pumpkin Days
Tip #1: If you’re planning on doing the Monster Dash in the future, my biggest tip is to make sure you have a stroller or wagon that can handle all the bumps along the way.
My 6-month-old didn’t seem to mind all the bumps in our sturdier wagon as I watched him quickly fall asleep. His nursing pillow ended up coming in handy too as a comfortable support pillow for both sitting up and laying down.
Tip #2: If you have the time, purchase the 3 Day Weekend wristbands.
There was just so much to do and see but with two little ones we did our best the two days we could be there. What we didn’t get to experience was the mechanical bull ride, face painting and all the wonderful food we could smell.
Tip #3: Have your camera charged and ready to go. You’ll be snapping photos the entire day!
Thank You for Reading!
The 2024 PDOP Pumpkin Days was truly an event to remember.
While our son was playing in the corn jump, we ran into another family that told us they were visiting all the way from Chicago.
From the smiles from both of our children, I’d say PDOP did an amazing job of providing a wonderful event for both our community and families across the nation.
Thank you to the PDOP and their Sponsors for all your time and hard work!
Did you attend the 2024 PDOP Pumpkin Days? Let me know what your favorite attractions were in the comments below!
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