By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
A young seeker of pumpkins pulls a wagon with his day’s plunder. Courtesy Hickey Farms.
Don’t let the early winter storm fool you, fall is very much still a thing in North Idaho. What better way to celebrate the season — and pick up pumpkins for Halloween — than to head over to Hickey Farms’ Harvest Festival and pumpkin patch?
Hickey Farms, located about seven miles east of Sandpoint and north on Hickey Road from Highway 200, features u-pick pumpkins, local crafts and produce, live music, kids’ activities, food and drinks and more.
The farm will be greet visitors Fridays from 2-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. throughout the month, with live music and entertainment every Saturday and Sunday.
Co-owner Dean Holt, whose farm has been in the family for four generations since 1923, said they grow more than 30 varieties of pumpkins — some for baking, some multi-colored and uniquely shaped, and others more traditional for carving.
“It’s totally free to come by,” Holt said. “We give away hayrides and the live music is free.”
For those seeking pumpkins, Hickey Farms operates on a u-pick system, with customers loading their finds onto wagons and paying by the pound. There will also be a bounce house and corn and twine maze available for kids of all ages.
Beer, wine and food will be on hand from the Klondyke, and there will be a variety of items for sale, including kettle corn, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, jams and jellies made from berries right on the farm, as well as local honey.
The live music and entertainment schedule is as follows:
Saturday, Oct. 5 • Marty Perron and Doug Bond from 12-3 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 6 • Tom Burr from 12-3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 12 • Harold’s IGA from 12-3 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 13 • Star the Magician from 12-3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19 • Star the Magician from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., followed by the Suzuki String Academy at 2:30 p.m. and MickDuff’s/Hickey Farms Cornhole Tournament for Bonner County 4H.
Sunday, Oct. 20 • Chris Lynch and Brian Jacobs from 12-3 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 26 • Chris Lynch and Brian Jacobs from 12-3 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 27 • close of season
American Heritage Wildlife Foundation will also host its annual scarecrow decorating contest, with winners receiving prizes. Businesses, school groups and families who have entered scarecrows pay a small fee as a donation to AHWF to compete for the prize. Patrons who visit the farm each week will vote on the most unique scarecrow designs, with the winner taking home prizes.
Hickey Farms began as a dairy farm in 1923 and has been operated by Holt and his brothers as a pumpkin patch for the past seven years. Spring 2020 will see a new addition to the farm — u-pick strawberries.
For more information about the farm, check out Hickey Farms’ Facebook page.
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