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If you are looking for a cute fall event near Orlando, this one is for you!
There’s a small farm in Central Florida where you can spend a Saturday painting a pumpkin while a capybara wanders past your table like it owns the place.
It’s Violette Hill Hay Farm in Mount Dora, and the event is called PUMPKINS WITH PUMPKIN! — because one of the two resident capybaras is named Pumpkin.
Mount Dora is about 35 minutes from Orlando and roughly 45 minutes from the theme parks, so it’s an easy morning out from a Disney or Universal trip.
🐹 Quick Mini Guide
| Where | Violette Hill Hay Farm, 5505 North Orange Blossom Trail, Mount Dora, FL |
| When | Saturdays, 26 September through October, 11am–3pm |
| Price | $25 per person — free for children 3 and under |
| Book | Online through the farm’s ticket page — spaces are limited |
| Contact | (407) 404-8123 · violettehillfarm@gmail.com |
What You Get for $25
- 🎨 A small pumpkin to paint and take home, supplies included
- 🍿 Free popcorn and lemonade
- 🐹 Capybara time and photos with Pumpkin and Peaches (the two capybaras)
- 🌾 Access to the fall-decorated farm
- 📚 Educational sessions with the farm’s animal ambassadors
Animal feed costs extra if you want to feed the other residents.
Pumpkin and Peaches roam freely during the event, so the interaction happens on their terms — they come to you rather than being brought out for a queue.
💡 PRO TIP: Regular petting farm visits are not offered on these Saturdays — the fall event replaces normal opening. Pick a weekday if you want a standard farm visit.
Before You Go
- 🎟️ Tickets are limited and must be booked in advance — don’t turn up hoping to pay on the gate
- 👟 Closed shoes, clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, and sun cover
- 🕐 Arrive early; the session ends at 3pm and you’ll want time for both the painting and the animals
If the Dates Don’t Work
The farm runs its Capybara Encounter year-round: 45 minutes of private family time with Pumpkin and Peaches, including feeding and petting farm access, plus baby bunnies, goats and Scottish Highland cattle.
It’s $55 per person, minimum two paying guests. Open daily 11am–5pm, last encounter 4:15pm.
