UNICEF, Valley Goes Pink to benefit from festival at Jones Family Farms in Shelton

SHELTON - This weekend, Jones Family Farms will celebrate its Children’s Festival for UNICEF, and an initiative for Breast Cancer awareness as part of the Valley Goes Pink program.

Terry Jones estimates that with this year’s funds, the 31-year total of the festival is over $115,000 in donations for UNICEF.  
The 2016 funds will be shared with both UNICEF and the Valley Goes Pink program.

Jean Jones, who initiated the UNICEF Festival 31 years ago, said, “We are passionate about helping the children of the world, and particularly this year’s projects to give access to safe and sustainable water services and the impact this can have on improving sanitation and hygiene in their lives.”

Families are invited to come in costume and enjoy kid’s arts and crafts with a fiesta theme (for a donation).  Entertainment will take place on the “Harvest Stage” including performances by Monroe’s Lionhead Band at 1 p.m. Saturday, and Shelton’s Center Stage Theater at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Friends always look forward to the creative pumpkin sculptures by Bob Bonazzo.  

The renowned artist will be on hand both days of the weekend demonstrating his carving skills.  

Once again, Lyman Gilbert will have his pink tractor on display all weekend, and the White Hills Volunteer Fire Company 5 will display its new ladder truck Saturday as part of Fire Safety Month.

Jones Family Farms is holding its traditional All-You-Can-Carry special this week.  

Guests load up their arms with pumpkins, walk a short distance with them, and then take home all they have carried for only $35. 

Christiana Jones says, “It’s a great way to finish up your fall decorating needs and bring pumpkins to neighbors or family that may not be able to visit the farm. It’s always fun to stand by the line and cheer on the strong men and women at the pumpkin patch!”

“We enjoy celebrating the hard work of an autumn harvest, knowing that the products we sell are ‘Jones Grown’ – they come from our own farm,” said Jamie Jones, sixth-generation farmer and winemaker who does all the farm varietal testing and selection of seeds. 

“We also like that our farm is a welcoming place for families to come enjoy quality time and make some memories.”  

Currently the farmers at Jones grow and harvest more than 50 varieties of pumpkins, squash, and gourds. People from all over Connecticut, New England, and New York make the trek to share the view and harvest every fall.

Jones Family Farms is located off Route 110.  The Pumpkinseed Hill Farm, 120 Beardsley Road, is open from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. for pumpkin picking, hayrides, and a corn maze.  

Admission to the farm is free.  

Children’s Festival activities will take place between 11 a.m and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information regarding hours of operation, picking locations, picking tips, and more visitors can call the Farmer Jones crop info line at 203-929-8425, visit the Jones website at www.jonesfamilyfarms.com.

This information is shared from an online community calendar sponsored by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and The New Haven Independent.