The Alnwick Pumpkin Patch has announced it will not open for the 2026 season, citing dry weather conditions for a poor crop. The popular Northumberland attraction first opened in 2023 at Broxfield Family Farm and has remained a favourite ever since, with visitors returning year-on-year to pick their own pumpkins.
Dry September hits final growth
Activities were due to commence this weekend, but the patch posted a sad update online regarding the future season. The post read: "It is with a very heavy heart that we have made the decision not to open Alnwick Pumpkin Patch in 2026."
"Unfortunately, September has been much drier than anticipated, and the pumpkins simply haven’t had the conditions that they needed for the final burst of growth which we were relying on."
"We had been hopeful that the last few weeks would have made all the difference, but sadly we are not confident that we have enough mature pumpkins to make the experience worthwhile. In addition, the weeds this year make accessing the pumpkin patch very difficult. We would hate people to come and be disappointed."
Alternatives explored but rejected
The team said they had tried to work around the problem and explored other options, such as just running the activity shed or buying pumpkins in, but they did not think this would offer the Alnwick Pumpkin Patch experience they had worked hard to create.
"We know how much so many of you look forward to visiting us each year, and we are absolutely gutted to have to make this decision," the post continued. "A huge thank you to everyone for your continued support. We hope you understand that sometimes, despite all the hard work and best intentions, Mother Nature has other plans. We will hopefully see you in 2027."
Supporters express sadness
Customers and supporters were quick to express their sadness for the team, with many sharing similar "gutted" feelings. One commented on the post: "Aw this is such a shame. I have seen first hand for many years how hard you guys work. I’m so sorry"
Another added: "We are genuinely gutted to hear this! We absolutely love coming up from Newcastle to the pumpkin patch! It's become a tradition! But it's really lovely you would rather cancel than people not have the best experience. So I've got a lot of respect for you doing this. I really hope you're back next year"
