Never having explored Carefree before, I took the Pumpkin garden as my excuse to take a little day trip. Driving from our home location, it took about an hour, beautiful rock formation, hence why the famous Boulder Resort and Spa are located right there. My friend and I took the weekday, Monday at 10:00 a.m. opportunity to walk through the garden. Knowing that during the weekend this place must be impossible with the crowds and parking. Great decision on our end, very few people, the paths were clear and there were still local artist carving the pumpkins, along with musicians playing music. I assume the only thing we missed going during the weekday was the beer garden and food trucks which I could live without. The pumpkin displays were whimsical creations, beautiful works of art, loved the displays. The path of pumpkin also leads to the huge Sun Dial and a playful playground area for kids. Visitors should take note that, though I read it takes about an 1 1/2 hours to walk through, maybe on the weekend, it took us about 1/2 hour including the Sun Dial. Luckily I had planned that we would drive around and go for an early lunch at one of Carefree's famous local eateries. Exhibit: Fun and whimsical, definitely worth going if you are in the area to do other exploring too. read more

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This was a fun outing and so cool to see the creative pumpkins. There is a 10.00 fee to get in, there is food and drinks to purchase once in side with a few little vendors and a outside theatre where when we went a clown was entertaining people. I'm not a fan of clowns at all but the kids liked it. There was so many cool pumpkins. read more

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Wow so cool!!! We opted to come here since we wanted to check out some local events. We were staying in downtown Phoenix and it took us about 30 mins to drive here. Open until 10pm supposedly, we decided to make the trek. It was a weeknight so there wasn't a lot of people, which made it more fun because we got to really look at the pumpkins and talk to some vendors. This garden is in the middle of a shopping center (so don't expect an actual pumpkin garden). Lots of parking surrounding the garden and you can walk the paths that leads to you lifelike pumpkin heads all around. I just wished there was more lighting. It was hard to see out after 9pm. There are a couple of food trucks and a beer garden for the adults. You can even walk around with your beer. The staff and those who volunteered were all very friendly and nice. If you are in the area during Halloween season definitely check the garden out! read more

Enchanted Pumpkin Garden - Pumpkin Patches Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

AWESOME place to visit if you have kiddos. This will get you in the mood for fall and Halloween. Tons of custom carved pumpkins, live carvings and little shops to get food and crafts from. Limited parking so get there early. read more

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Six of us who live in Cave Creek decided to swing by and see the Festival has been going on for many years. We actually enjoyed it more than I would have expected. It is obviously geared toward the kids, but there's enough quality carvings as well as 'fun' themes that the adults all smiled. It was family night, and there were lots of kids also there carving pumpkins while watching the experts do it. All in all I say stop by for a few minutes one evening during the season. read more

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Some variety of events for the young and the old. A few trinkets and refreshments for sale.Stroll threw the village in beautiful Carefree for free and see the master pumpkin artist carve life into the most interesting pumpkins you've ever seen. You might have seen him doing the pumpkins on Food Network Halloween Wars. I took a few photos. This is a free event that runs till October 31st 2015. Everyday the artist carves more pumpkins. When you get done with that there are a few shops and some cafes. Slight Update 10-24-16 Improved from last year. Now they offer a Beer Garden, a few Food Trucks, Hayrides, Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest and Face Painting. More Crowded than last year. You will see the most pumpkins closer to the last days of the event. read more

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Did you know in some cites they have over 500 pumpkins carved and ready for people to see? Carefree is a small town operation and this year just seemed to get worse with too many people, not enough original stuff and many of the same ole displays from last year. I believe there are only about 20 pumpkins scattered about the small park. They did add more food trucks this year and an arts and crafts area was expanded. The 80's cover band though was pretty good and our Witch hat Lady was on hand for the annual hat purchase. They should rename the city SCAREFREE for the Holidays, don't ya think? read more

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So! Free event! With so many things to see and walk around. Lot of spooky and funny pumpkin carving scenarios. Plenty of spots to eat, grab a beer or let (if have any) kids play around. Family friendly with few events. Not too sure why some people complain about this, I mean, it is a free fun day event for the weekend. Parking can be a little bit hard to find, but worth the trip to Carefree,AZ read more

Enchanted Pumpkin Garden - Pumpkin Patches Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

We had so much fun...the kidos really enjoyed it! There was no cost to get in...but there were some activities that were an additional price...still cheat though! Lots of local vendors and safe! read more

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What a great free event! This is the 2nd year we have attended. This time we stopped by after dark which I would definitely recommend. In addition to the standalone carved pumpkins (impressive!), there are creative groupings of pumpkins in different vignettes e.g. pumpkins boxing, pumpkins enjoying a swimming hole, etc. You need to see it to appreciate it. Very well done! read more

Enchanted Pumpkin Garden - Jumping into the 'watering hole'! - Pumpkin Patches Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

Got invited to check this event out and was not disappointed! This was a fall art show more than your typical pumpkin patch if that is what you are aiming for during the fall. Definitely very artistic people put this together. Has a great selection of food vendors! I wish the place was closer so More people would see how cool the pumpkins are! Worth the drive for sure!! read more

Enchanted Pumpkin Garden - Pumpkin Patches Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

The town of carefree has decided to make a profit off the holidays. $17 admission fee to spend 5 - 10 minutes in the pumpkin display. This event was free until 2019. Pretty sad when a town decides to profit off holiday events. Poor kids missing out when moms and dads show up with a carload of kids and can't afford to pay $75 bucks to get them in..... read more

Kind of a rip off, I could see how this used to be free, about a less than 10 minute walk through to see. Unsure how they justify charging $15 per person to walk and then pay additional fees to do anything else. Paid $30 as a couple and $7 for a mediocre root beer float. I'd say PASS. read more

Like a lot of other reviewers here, we've been going to this event for years, and we showed up this year to find the city of Carefree has fenced the whole community area and is charging $15 for what has always been a free event. If you're an adult, paying $15 just to walk through and look at the carved pumpkins isn't worth it. It takes maybe 15-20 minutes. We were not going to pay $30 just to get in, come on, that's higher than the state fair. Something around $5 would have been fair. Normally we go and buy lunch from the food trucks, buy stuff from the vendors, and we always bought stuff from a boutique across the street when we're done at the event, but we were so disgusted by the high price that we turned around and left. read more

This was one event that we always went to, it was fun and it was free..This year they started charging to get in... and the fees are really high $10 during the week and $15 on weekends. We won't be attending anymore... it's sad that they had to get greedy and now families can't enjoy this. read more

Not worth the price of admission. It was $10 each on Tuesday for about 10 minutes. The pumpkin carvers seem talented, if you want to watch someone carve a pumpkin. The "vignettes" on the walkway lean toward lame rather than cute. read more

This year was lame. Smaller. Grid lock trails that didn't flow and caused crowds of people to have to turn around at dead ends versus flowing trails. Fake foam made pumpkins versus using real. And there was a charge of $12.00 a person !!!!!! We should have at least been discounted since there was only 45 min left until there 7 pm closing.....! Can't believe the cost.... not worth it! It used to be a fun family tradition but this year was a big disappointment!!! $5.00 might have been a fair cost or cans of food for the food bank. Sad that it has changed so dramatically. The fence all around it took away from charm. How can families afford this??? read more

First time here! We drove close to an hour to experience this GEM! My husband and I loved it and my daughter (4yo) did also. Awesome displays. Creative, well thought out and funny! The vibe was great. Live music and vendors were there, people taking lots of photos, kids playing. We definitely plan on returning in the years to come. It's FREE to go to but there are things for sale: food, drinks, pumpkins, art etc. Live pumpkin carving, which was really cool to watch. All around great experience. No negatives. We went around sunset. Perfect time to go to see them in the day and then the lights come on close to six. I highly recommend this for single, couples and families! A must see! read more

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It takes 10 minutes to walk through the whole thing! Definitely not worth the price, especially when it used to be free. If they wanna charge they should take donations. Sadly, I will not be returning next year. read more

Last year we had a really great experience! It was cute and just fun to walk around with my boyfriend and enjoy each other. This year we took his mom and nephew. It was disappointing. We expected it to be free like last year ($12). The pumpkin sets were the exact same as last year. We were told that "Queen Creek upgraded and now we have a beer garden" however you need to pay to get into the beer garden. If they are going to charge the least the could do is have one price for individuals to explore, and a higher price for those who want to socialize with drinks. They could also update the sets as well. read more

The displays are awesome! These pumpkin designs are so cool, the carvings and the scenes were so cool and a must see. The only problem with this place is that its not laid out well. It doesn't flow, and there is no way to know where everything is. We were leaving and found a whole other part that we just got lucky to happen upon. There are no maps or barely any event staff to help out. It is free, so I get it, it just sucks when you're taking your kids around and you feel lost. It is a very crowded place, so keep that in mind when going. I do recommend it at least once to see it, it's cool, but try to get such an event staff or something to help out. read more

Very disappointing that the fifth annual Enchanted Pumpkin Garden went from NO charge the first four years to $15 EACH, $10 weekdays with no discounts for seniors, families, or students. Definitely not worth $40 to $60 to take a family of 4. Much better if the Chamber of Commerce had started with a "suggested donation" or $10 fee per FAMILY to gauge the impact. Everyone was complaining, especially local patrons at Venues Cafe, the restaurant across from the park where we ate lunch. Seems the leap in price has dramatically effected walk in business as people park, find out the entry fee, and leave. The Chamber of Commerce needs to rethink attaching their name, especially considering the negative impact on Chamber members. read more

Since moving to Wickenberg location I have to say I was extremely disappointed. I paid 40 dollars for our group of 8. We live in Peoria so it was quiet a drive . When arriving it was not at all what I thought it would be. The displays were in windows of businesses and not any with faces carved In them. There was only 10 displays I believe and walking around looking for clues was fun but nothing happening in between was kinda disappointing. I definitely wouldn't recommend this ... way to much money and not at all like the great experience in Carefree. Please move back to carefree! read more

So much fun for kids, adults, and families! The pumpkin displays are set amongst Carefree's gorgeous botanical garden, which while not close in size to the Desert Botanical Garden does rival the more famous garden's beauty. The pumpkin displays are whimsical and fun, and perfectly set up for strolling around and spotting the different displays. This year they added food trucks and a beer garden, so the ambiance and fun has greatly improved. The perfect time of day to go is a little before the sun starts setting because the trees and cactus all get lit up but you can still easily see the displays. This is definitely a must for Halloween and can easily become a fun tradition for all to enjoy. read more

Enchanted Pumpkin Garden - Pumpkin garden - Pumpkin Patches Near Me - Carefree, Arizona

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A unique and fun event. The artwork was truly amazing, and is fun to see for both adults and children. The area gets a little crowded, but the set up is quite nice. In addition to the pumpkin scenes, there are some local vendors and food. Good to hang out for a couple of hours. Plenty of parking within walking distance. read more

A great time and very entertaining. Many different displays throughout the beautiful garden. Beer garden with pumpkin beers. Ray Villafane is carving and talked with the kids and restaurants serving great food. The event is also dog friendly read more

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My kids look forward to going to this every year (this year was year #3 for us). This year they decided to charge $10 per person from Monday-Thursday! Yes, that includes kids! It's fun to go through and see all of the amazing displays. It truly is an awesome garden and the artists are truly talented. I love that it has a completely different feel during the day then in does at night. But no matter how awesome it is, I just can't justify paying $10 to get in! Especially since I have to either pack a meal or stop off at a restaurant to get something to eat. Sadly I won't be going back next year. read more

I have been several years and decided to pay the price and go this year. The price for admission was ridiculous. $15 per person 3 and up. Really? The only thing that the price did was crowd control. There was nobody there. There was nothing added from previous years and we were done in less than 30 minutes with the whole event. The pumpkin displays are usually very similar each year, maybe just a few newer ones. The $15 included bounce houses, a haunted house that doesn't start til evening, a petting zoo, and some performances if they were even going on. All kids stuff. To pay admission I felt cheated by it all and duped to think it'd be better or have more than before. I was so wrong. I could see a $5 admission or to pay a small fee for bounce houses and petting zoo because most of the attendees aren't interested in those, but not worth $15. I felt bad for the vendors because nobody was buying anything either. I used to look forward to this every year, but unfortunately I won't be going back. read more

Too pricy. They expected us to pay $10 each when all the reviews state that it was free in the years prior. Kinda dumb and if they want it to continue then they should remove the dumb admissions fee. read more

This is the 4th year of the garden. Never was there a fee to enter. There were vendors etc who made money on visitors the first 3 years. They have a Facebook page (check it out) many of the recent posts you will see show numerous comments. Click to read comments and most are gone. Why?? Let me explain. I went with my husband 2 years ago in 2017. It was a quaint, little attraction & brought alot of visitors to the area. Was it worth $15? No, not in my opinion. I have had them on my FB since they opened. Debated on going this year & paying the $15 even though as 2 adults we dont do all of the little extras at a festival. When I saw the rude, condescending explaination that thir management posted on why they are charging $15, I was honestly shocked. But NEVER did I comment anything negative until then. I merely commented that "it came across as very patronizing & probably was not the way to handle it". Many agreed. Then TODAY I saw they just opened & posted some pics. We were still contemplating on going. Another FB user asked "Is there a fee?" I commented as a reply and said "yes it used to be free but its now $15 to enter". Later I got a notification. They deleted my comment and blocked me from commenting anymore. They also deleted their patronizing post so rudely explaining the reasons for the $15 entry fee. I could see if I made disparaging comments or stated something untrue? Seems shady to me! Beware. read more

The posters, and webpage say, the event runs from Oct. 17th -31st. So on the 19th my girlfriend and I headed up from Phoenix for what promised to be a fun lively fall festival. An hour later we arrive to no music, no events, no beer garden, displays still under construction and a handful of pumpkins on display. Literally if it was a ghost town theme, they would have nailed it. Just very let down read more

Not a good option for families anymore. We've loved this for the past four years but this year, we were surprised by the insane entry fee ($12 for ages 3 and up). My daughter is 4 and we hoped she might have fun in the kids area (which used to have a small fee in years past but was free this year with admission). Instead, there was nothing for her. The inflatables were enormous and for older kids. There was a a giant coliseum with kids going crazy and a tall steep slide that was making kids cry. I saw something about a petting zoo in another review but we didn't see it and we walked ALL over. The clown was kind of old and lame. He was working up quite a sweat. My kids weren't interested. There was a little puppet theater thing but it was too crowded to get my kids in a good spot. The pumpkin carvings and vignettes were much more scary than spooky and even the singing pumpkins were too spooky this year. The food vendors had a good selection but we spent another $60 on food. Save your money this year especially if you have kids. If you take kids, go during the day when it's less spooky and definitely skip mealtimes to avoid spending a fortune. We definitely dropped over $100 for our family of 4 with young kids. This used to be a good event to get people from other parts of the valley to come check out Carefree. Now it'a just a big rip off. read more