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US: Pacific Northwest, Best Corn Mazes and Fall Festivals for Family Fun. From Oregon to Washington fall festivals make weekend time more fun for families. Escape and run through a corn maze; sample local honey; carve a pumpkin or stuff a scarecrow; ride on a wagon full of hay.
 
Here's the scoop. We’ve selected some of the best for your review and consideration. Escape and run through a corn maze; sample local honey; carve a pumpkin or stuff a scarecrow; ride on a wagon full of hay. Forget the lawn; the  laundry will wait. Share some fun with your family.

Oregon: St. Paul, French Prairie Gardens Fall Harvest Festival and Pigtucky Derby (9/24-10/30, 2011). Located in the tranquil Willamette Valley French Prairie Gardens (image to the left) maintains a delightful farm produce market from April to Thanksgiving. Wander through the two-acre pick-your-own Pumpkin Patch. See bunnies, sheep, chickens, and visit the Kids Corral or the Two Acre Corn Maze. Watch the secret lives of chickens from the chicken coop with observation window. Investigate the Tonka toddler dirt play area or participate in the toddler hay bale maze and toddler tricycle races. Best part:Farmer John and Farmer Eric host the Pigtucky Derby. During the crazy weekend there will be hayrides, hay maze, two-acre corn maze, farm animal display, a obstacle course, pumpkin sling shot, kids corral, pig barrel train rides, and two 20-foot hay slides.  Bonus points: This is the place to get a luscious fruit shake or eat simply scrumptious Umpqua Ice Cream. (French Prairie Gardens, 17673 French Prairie Rd, St. Paul, OR, 97137. (503) 633-8445 or www.fpgardens.com)
 
Oregon: Hood River, Rasmussen Farms Fall Celebration and Pumpkin Funland (10/01 – 11/11/2011). Located in the scenic heart of Oregon's Hood River Valley, the Rasmussen family has been celebrating the harvest season for more than six decades. The cornstalk maze takes on a new look each year plus the Halloween Hut offers slightly spooky but not too scary atmosphere for even the youngest trick-or-treaters. This is the place to try pumpkin bowling. Each season the farm is populated with oodles of  characters crafted by the Rasmussen staff with creativity and humor from pumpkins, vegetables, squash, gourds and other items from the farm and greenhouse. Best part: The farm is home to the nationally-rated Pumpkin Funland always memorable for kids. Bonus points: There is no charge to experience Pumpkin Funland, the Corn Maze, or the Halloween Hut. (Rasmussen Farms Hood River, Oregon 97031. Toll-free 1-800-548-2243, (541) 386-4622 or www.rasmussenfarms.com)

Washington: Redmond, Dr. Maze's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Farm.
(09/09 – 10/31, 2011) Promoting sustainable farming in the Sammamish Valley means connecting Mother Nature with the community and The Doctor does just that. For families the best example is the annual fall harvest celebration where it is possible to pick pumpkins from the vine, meet curious goats, friendly alpacas and go on an old-fashioned hayride. This is the place to find not only popular orange Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins but also ghost pumpkins and specialty gourds. Kids love the hay bale spiral and the almost never ending maze tunnel spiral.  Best part: On Fridays and Saturdays in October the farm remains open after dark for Flashlight Nights in the maze. Bonus points: Anytime of the year this is the place to visit for herbal teas, essential oils, mists, and other botanicals from lavender, rosemary, mints, chamomile, and other plants grown on the farm. (Dr. Maze's Corn Maze 15410 NE 124th St. Redmond, WA 98052. (425) 869-9777 or www.drmazesfarm.com)Sunrise Farm Kingston Washington Pumpkin Patch
 
Washington: Kingston, Sunrise Hill Farm Pumpkin Field and Corn Maze (09/30 - 10/30, 2011) For more than one hundred years the red barn at Sunrise Hill has anchored the land supporting livestock and annual harvests. Today it offers visitors, especially families, a chance to connect to the land and make memories. This is definitely the spot to find lovely pumpkins meant to selected from the field or adopted from those already gathered. Wander through the corn maze, jump in the hay, navigate the kiddie hay bale maze, and meet the resident pony and friendly llamas. Best part: Spend time with your kids solving the animal tracks puzzle. Bonus points: Throughout the growing season the farm provides access to U-Cut Flower Gardens with more than 40 different varieties of flowers. (Sunrise Hill Farm Kingston, WA 98346. (360) 297-2334 or http://sunrisehillfarm.org)
    
Washington: Port Angeles, Forest Storytelling Festival -Stories, Stories, and More Stories
(10/14 – 10/16/2011). Who doesn't love a good story? And while this annaul event suggestion has nothing to do with the harvest season it has merit of its own and so we are passing it along for consideration. Spend the weekend in Port Angeles listening to wonderful story tellers from around the world, join in workshops and enter to win local gifts through a drawing. The program begins Friday evening at 7:30 with a Story Concert. Saturday starts with morning workshops, leading into day programs and an evening concert. Best part: Sunday has a free program, Stories to Inspire. Bonus points: In late November the story people join with other storytelling guilds and associations throughout the United States and abroad and offer an annual "Tellabration - A Celebration of Storytelling" concert.(Peninsula College, Little Theatre and Campus, Port Angeles. (360) 417-5031 or www.dancingleaves.com/storypeople)
 
Tell Mom at The Family Travel FilesWe want to expand the list and need your help. If you have a favorite fall festivial or know of an awesome corn maze please "Tell Mom" and we will add it to the list. Make sure to include the name of the festival or event and its location on the planet as well as why you like it or what makes it worth the trip. Our next round up will inlcude  family-friendly winter celebrations and Santa Trains. We are building the list right now and would love to have your feedback. So just "Tell Mom!"
 
Information compiled from our extensive database as of August 2011. Sometimes things change, so please confirm details before making plans.Copyright 2011.
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