Cal Poly Pomona¿s annual Pumpkin Festival is the perfect way to welcome in the fall season. The free, family friendly event will take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 & 16 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Farm Store at Kellogg Ranch.

The grassy field in front of the Farm Store will boast about 70,000 locally grown pumpkins to choose from. All pumpkins in the field will be $5. Inside the store, a wide variety of pumpkins and squashes will be available, from pie pumpkins to minis.

¿It¿s a great family fun day and pretty inexpensive,¿ says Dawn Taccone, the Farm Store manager. ¿We have tons of events ¿ a corn maze, tractors to climb, face painting, a book fair, food vendors. We¿ve got it all.¿

A pancake breakfast, $5 for adults and $4 for kids, will be held Saturday morning from 8 to 11 to kick off the festivities.

Proceeds from the event benefit the College of Agriculture.

Free parking for the Pumpkin Festival will be available in lots K and B, with shuttle service provided to the Farm Store. For more information, visit the Farm Store website or call (909) 869-2215.

The Oct. 15 and 16 weekend is one of the busiest times on campus. Matt¿s Run, a community 5K run/walk, takes place Saturday morning, and proceeds benefit student scholarships. The Insect Fair, on Saturday and Sunday, will feature thousands of creepy crawlers, both live and preserved.

Poly Palooza, held Saturday, gives prospective students and their parents an opportunity to visit campus, learn about the academic experience, and ask questions about the admissions process.