A pumpkin patch is a popular destination for many families as Halloween steadily approaches.
But for the dozens of local families who visited the Walter Graham Aquatic Center on Saturday, picking out a pumpkin has never been so refreshing.
Offering a Halloween-themed ambience that included faux cobwebs, Styrofoam tombstones, Halloween music, and black and orange balloons, the Floating Pumpkin Patch was something local families simply had to see.
Admission to the annual event cost $12 and included one pumpkin while also allowing access to an array of games, pumpkin decorating, the photobooth, and of course the waterslides.
Fairfield mother, Dana Kormanik, and her son Jayden, 9, stopped by the waterborne pumpkin patch for the first time and were unsure what to expect given the uniqueness of the event.
Before the 35-plus pumpkins were tossed into the water, Kormanik and the other parents lined up beside the pool and were unsure whether or not the pumpkins would sink or float.
And shortly after 2:30 p.m., she and the other poolside parents received their answer.
“When I found out about the event, I was excited to see what it was all about,” she said. “The other parents and I were wondering whether or not they would sink. But it was great to come out and the weather couldn’t have been better.”
As children jumped into the heated pool and swam through or floated on the pumpkins, temperatures rose into the low 80s.
Parents and children alike enjoyed the surprisingly warm and clear weather conditions.
Vacaville’s Recreation Coordinator Kate Miller also was thankful to see the warmer conditions after hearing that the weather last year was less than ideal.
For Miller, the opportunity to intertwine Halloween and a fun day by the pool is an especially meaningful task given her love for the holiday. “Halloween is my favorite time of year and it’s great seeing the kids get so excited,” Miller said. “Our staff loves helping out with the event because it’s so different from a lot of our other programs we offer during the summer.”
