Pumpkin Nights

I love going to fun holiday activities.  I feel like these traditions are a memorable and important part of childhood.  Utah has a TON of activities to choose from, but most are rather expensive.  Every season (particularly during fall) we try to do as much as we can , but we usually avoid the really costly activities unless I can get a discount. Pumpkin Nights is something I have been wanting to try out for years, but at $20 a ticket we have always skipped over it.   My parents were in town for my birthday, so I decided my birthday was a good reason to splurge and go.  We got discounted tickets on Groupon, but it was still a bit costly.  The reviews online are very mixed (half the people love it, half the people hate it), so I was worried it was going to be rather lame. The boys didn't want to go at first (they are in a phase where they complain about pretty much everything), and the night wasn't starting out as I had envisioned in my head. Thankfully, the experience was much cuter than we had anticipated.  The boys had a really good time, and I also really enjoyed it. No, it was not worth the full price, but regardless it was a fun experience and I'm glad we went.   There was a sand pit in the pirate area where kids got to dig for pirate coins.  If found, each coin could be redeemed for a prize (a baby pumpkin).  Wesley's favorite part was the treasure hunt.  Each land had a pumpkin carved with a special sign.  When put together and decoded, a special coded word was uncovered and could be turned in to receive a prize.  Some of the lands were cheesy, and some were pretty amazing.  It wasn't Disney quality, but it was fun.  One of the highlights for me was getting to watch fire dancers at the end.  They didn't have any astounding skills necessarily, but it was unique and one of my favorite parts!