LATHROP - Ron and Susan Dell’Osso had 135,000 paying visitors drop by their farm in 2010.
That’s probably enough for Dell’Osso Farms to retain its status as the third largest argi-tourism attraction in the United States.
There were 25,000 people who braved the elements for second annual Holiday on the Farm that ended a five-week run on Jan. 2. An additional 110,000 people enjoyed the 13th Pumpkin Maze.
Rain on almost every weekend of both attractions dampened the turnout somewhat. There were a record 140,000 people who dropped by Del’Osso Farms in 2009 for the Pumpkin Maze while 40,000 visited the initial Holiday on the Farms. The snow tubing hill was open through March last year. The weekday crowds after January in 2009 weren’t enough to justify keeping the artificial snow maker going that has to run 24/7. That prompted the decision to curtail the length of this year’s event.
“It was great fun,” Susan Dell’Osso said of the addition of the outdoor ice rink.
While the rainy December softened attendance it didn’t prevent all skating enthusiast from going out in the rain and skating.
“The good thing about the artificial ice rink is that the rain when it falls freezes into more ice,” Dell’Osso said.
Snow tubing still continued in the rain thanks to the roof over the hill that provides protection from the elements.
Many of the guests were from the Bay Area and the Sacramento region.
What sets the Holidays on the Farm apart from other such attractions is the fact it has a variety of activities ranging from ice skating and snow tubing, to light tours, real reindeer, ropes skill course, zip line, and train rides.
The variety of October offerings from three mazes to the haunted house , train rides and such as well as the equine pumpkin blasters has helped make Dell’Osso’s Pumpkin Maze a success.
The events provide over 100 seasonal jobs. The Pumpkin Maze also helps local organizations raise tens of thousands of dollars by providing the manpower to do everything from helping control traffic in the parking lot and assisting staff with various attractions, to cutting off the stems of the mini-pumpkins so they become almost ideal ammo.
That’s probably enough for Dell’Osso Farms to retain its status as the third largest argi-tourism attraction in the United States.
There were 25,000 people who braved the elements for second annual Holiday on the Farm that ended a five-week run on Jan. 2. An additional 110,000 people enjoyed the 13th Pumpkin Maze.
Rain on almost every weekend of both attractions dampened the turnout somewhat. There were a record 140,000 people who dropped by Del’Osso Farms in 2009 for the Pumpkin Maze while 40,000 visited the initial Holiday on the Farms. The snow tubing hill was open through March last year. The weekday crowds after January in 2009 weren’t enough to justify keeping the artificial snow maker going that has to run 24/7. That prompted the decision to curtail the length of this year’s event.
“It was great fun,” Susan Dell’Osso said of the addition of the outdoor ice rink.
While the rainy December softened attendance it didn’t prevent all skating enthusiast from going out in the rain and skating.
“The good thing about the artificial ice rink is that the rain when it falls freezes into more ice,” Dell’Osso said.
Snow tubing still continued in the rain thanks to the roof over the hill that provides protection from the elements.
Many of the guests were from the Bay Area and the Sacramento region.
What sets the Holidays on the Farm apart from other such attractions is the fact it has a variety of activities ranging from ice skating and snow tubing, to light tours, real reindeer, ropes skill course, zip line, and train rides.
The variety of October offerings from three mazes to the haunted house , train rides and such as well as the equine pumpkin blasters has helped make Dell’Osso’s Pumpkin Maze a success.
The events provide over 100 seasonal jobs. The Pumpkin Maze also helps local organizations raise tens of thousands of dollars by providing the manpower to do everything from helping control traffic in the parking lot and assisting staff with various attractions, to cutting off the stems of the mini-pumpkins so they become almost ideal ammo.
