When Cresskill Congregational Church brought back its pumpkin patch last fall, some visitors arrived with memories as well as children: They had picked out pumpkins there when they were young. Now they were introducing their own families to the tradition.
That connection across generations is part of what organizers hope to nurture as the patch returns Oct. 4, filling the grounds at 85 Union Ave. with more than 1,000 pumpkins and gourds.
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Oct. 31, the patch offers pumpkins in an assortment of shapes, sizes and colors for carving, cooking and decorating, along with a setting for autumn family photos. Behind the display is a volunteer effort that helps sustain the church and its community outreach.
According to sales records supplied to the church by Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, the congregation participated annually from 2006 through 2019. It opted out in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and revived the patch in 2025 in response to community interest.
The return brought familiar faces, including longtime church members whose memories stretch back to earlier seasons of helping children choose pumpkins and chatting with visiting families.
“Last year, we welcomed people who told us they had visited our pumpkin patch as children,” organizers wrote in responses to questions from Northern Valley Press. “In 2025, they were returning with children of their own.”
Fundraising Committee Chair Cindy Micucci and church Treasurer Jack Rickly lead the project, supported by about 20 volunteers who arrange the display and staff the sales table throughout the month. Before sales can begin, friends, relatives and students from area high schools help unload the pumpkins from a tractor-trailer.
Organizers also remember church members who contributed to earlier pumpkin patches and have since died, leaving a tradition of welcoming visitors that today’s volunteers carry forward.
The patch is the church’s second-largest fundraiser, behind its monthly White Elephant thrift shop. Proceeds help support church operations and, in turn, its outreach, including hosting the Cresskill Cares Food Pantry, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and Fitz by Horan teen clothing events. Other efforts include the Sandwich Line, Rainbow Cafe, a Helpsy clothing donation bin and Parent’s Night Out.
The fundraiser also has a connection beyond Bergen County. According to organizers, supplier Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers grows pumpkins on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and employs Native American workers.
Church Moderator Carole Lotito described the patch as “a treasured event that brings our community together in a fun, beautiful display celebrating autumn and our connection to Cresskill and the entire Northern Valley.”
That spirit extends to visiting groups. Schools, day care centers and residential facilities are invited to arrange mini-field trips. There are no scheduled activities or group admission fees; visitors pay only for pumpkins they purchase. Groups should register in advance at cresskillucc.org/pumpkins.
Pumpkin prices are based on size, with volunteers using a measuring tape to determine the price of larger pumpkins. Smaller pumpkins and gourds are priced from an inventory list. Cash, cards and Venmo are accepted.
The church will also host a free Trunk or Treat on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., rain or shine. Open to all children in the community, the event includes crafts, games and candy.
Cresskill Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, is at 85 Union Ave., across from Kings. For more information, visit cresskillucc.org/pumpkins.