Within an hour drive of Chicago, America’s farm country is an unlikely setting for growing attractions. However, an increased appetite for seasonal fun is rooted in the tradition of selecting pumpkins and picking apples.
These farm-based attractions offer refined guest experiences and professional operations that include what would be found at larger attractions—from friendly staff and front gate operations, to signature food and beverage (F&B) operations and unique merchandise. Thoughtfully designed environments create a sense of place for a plethora of seasonal activities and attractions.
Jonamac Orchard in Malta, Illinois
At the core of Jonamac Orchard’s success is apple harvesting. The 105-acre farm first started to diversify its portfolio 40 years ago to include a range of autumn activities and attractions that cater to a wide audience.
By expanding beyond apple picking, the McArtor Family, third-generation owners of the farm, created multiple revenue streams and increased its customer base. The orchard’s petting zoo, playground, haunted corn maze, various special events, and live entertainment provided by local musicians are proven to attract families, school groups, and tourists looking for a unique experience.
In addition to its on-site attractions, Jonamac Orchard has also capitalized on the growing demand for locally produced artisanal products. The orchard’s bakery—producing treats like apple pies and cider donuts—is a popular destination.
The latest addition to the facility is the Cider House, a hand-built, wooden barn structure with architectural details resembling structures found at a theme park. Inside, tables and seating are located in the front, while a cidery sits in the back. A conveyor system redirects apple byproducts out of the building for sustainable reuse in composting.
Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen, Illinois
Bengtson Pumpkin Farm bills itself as a fall festival and pumpkin patch…that resembles a theme park in every sense. While the Bengtson family’s business began operation in 1981 solely as a pumpkin farm, the evolution of the business as an attraction is evident.
While Scott Bengtson’s grandparents originally delivered their pumpkin crops to grocery stores, his father later “took out a newspaper ad for hayrides and started doing hayrides out of the pumpkin patch and it was an immediate success for them,” says Bengtson, a third-generation owner of the business. “They started lining cars up and down the road.”
Bengtson explains his family originally leased the land before purchasing the property in 2015. Then in 2023, Bengtson purchased the remainder of the business from a relative. He then truly realized his vision for the property.
Paved walkways lined with trees and landscaping lead guests to all corners of the facility and its dozen amusement rides; barnyard animal petting zoo; Jimmy Crack Corn Box—a 6,900-square-foot corn kernel-filled playbox; more F&B locations; an arena with tall bleachers and an infield themed to a barnyard, where pig races are held in front of roaring crowds; and of course, the farm’s tried and true pumpkin patch. Guests are permitted to bring wagons into the park to load up pumpkins or grab them from any of the pumpkin-built ‘mountains’ found throughout the park.
Bengtson is particularly relieved by his decision to add attractions and fixtures to the park in a permanent nature as much as possible. Most of the park’s rides are housed in substantial structures exhibiting skilled carpentry work with architectural embellishments that create a themed experience.
A family coaster by SPF Visa was installed in 2017 with a barnshaped station, across from an in-house built, indoor/outdoor family tractor-themed ride, Tractor Town, that showcases vintage farm equipment and in-house built audio animatronic farm animals.
“One of the things that makes us different is that throughout the years, we’ve been going to IAAPA [Expo],” Bengtson explains. “I’ve been going since I was 12. A lot the things we’ve done—the rides for example—has been through attending IAAPA [Expo].”
A dual-tracked steeplechase ride from Metallbau Emmeln GmbH & Co. KG—one with rooster-themed cars, and another with rabbit-themed cars—load in the same station and queue house designed as an extravagant wooden barn with unique turrets and gables that rise three stories tall.
“We just kept sticking dormers and overhangs and on it, we’d print a picture of it, and we’d let it sit in the office for a few days, we’d get another idea of things to add, we’d keep shuffling things in CAD, and kept doing that over and over,” says Bengtson about his persistence in producing the right result.
Aside from the aesthetics and sense of place created by the permanence of Bengtson’s additions is the satisfaction created by the operational benefit at the end of the operating season before winter.
“[We] literally roll the doors shut and leave. There’s nothing to tear down,” Bengtson tells Funworld. In lieu of traditional park benches, Bengtson introduced concrete sitting walls molded to look like boulders. “A lot less cleanup. A lot less maintenance,” says Bengtson, who adds that there is no rust or wooden planks to replace.
Goebbert’s Farm in Pingree Grove, Illinois
Goebbert’s Farm has roots stretching back to 1948 when the family entered the business with a humble roadside vegetable stand. Today, the Goebbert family grows pumpkins, flowers, apples, and vegetables, while the attraction side of the business offers an immersive experience that combines farm life with seasonal activities.
An amusement area offers rides such as a miniature train, carousel, slide, and an immersive haunted house walk-through, repurposed out of an old corn crib (a structure used to store and dry corn). Paved walkways lead guests to other activities, such as the Animal Land with its farm and exotic animals, corn mazes, pig races, magic shows, wagon rides, camel rides, and pony rides.
Revenue operations include a gift shop selling homemade goods and locally sourced products; a vintage-styled shooting gallery built from scratch; F&B operations selling local beers and homemade fare; and a wedding and special events pavilion.
While the farm’s icon may be the 18-foot-wide “Happy Jack” jack-o’-lantern affixed to a silo that can be seen for miles, its mascot is the orange “Pumpkin Eating Dinosaur”—an animatronic that picks up and crushes pumpkins in its steel jaws while amazed children (and dads) look on. (The reptilian robot is controlled by an operator in a nearby booth.) Guests are happy to wait for the spectacle and purchase specially themed Pumpkin Eating Dinosaur plush in the farm’s gift shop.
Immediately following fall activities, the farm converts to celebrating the holiday season. Out of view of the amusement area awaits a massive, LED-lit, Hollywood-style façade of a mansion. The façade is situated in front of a sloped drive-in arena where cars pull up to watch a 12–15-minute holiday light show, after paying admission.
For efficiency, and increased capacity, the shows play constantly with only a few minutes between presentations. While half of the arena full of cars is watching, the other half is unloading and reloading. Goebbert’s also offers a holiday light drive-through, offering 1,000,000 lights. Pricing for the show and drive-through are offered separately or bundled.
Lloyd Goebbert, second generation owner who lives in a house on the farm near the amusement area’s front gate, operates the farm with his family. Goebbert shares with Funworld how he likes the seasonal nature of the attraction business, operating for two months out of the year.
“Most of the things we do now, we try to make more permanent. We used to set things up for just the eight weeks that we are open,” says Goebbert, who sees opportunity in opening the venue for large parties or corporate events outside of the autumn season.
