By Lillian Barnes

MEDIA, Pa. — With the post-Halloween season winding down, Linvilla Orchards is hosting its annual fall Food Truck Frenzy on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7 and 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. While thousands of Delaware County residents associate the farm with October hayrides and cider donuts, the 300-acre destination offers lots of reasons to return after the harvest ends.

Admission to this weekend’s Food Truck Frenzy does not require a ticket, although food and some activities have separate costs. Visitors can explore food trucks offering a variety of meals and treats, enjoy live musical performances and visit the Ship Bottom Brewery Beer Garden. Additional activities available across the farm include hayrides, train rides, face painting and pony rides, bringing together food, entertainment and family gatherings in one spot.

For generations of local visitors, fall season activities remain the heart of the experience and what makes the farm so popular every year.

“Fall is personally my favorite time of the year. One of my favorite things about fall is visiting Linvilla Orchards,” said DCCC student Taylor Epps. “Me and my family typically go once a year; however, we enjoy our time there so much we may go twice! I still remember my first time going. I was around 4 years old, and for a little 4-year-old, I had a phenomenal time. Now me being 18, I haven’t missed a year. At Linvilla Orchards, you can pick apples, go to their pumpkin patch and pick pumpkins and enjoy hayrides.”

Yet even with so many returning visitors, some of Linvilla’s best recreational offerings sit outside the festival grounds. One of those experiences is fishing at Orchard Lake, a lesser-known attraction that surprises even longtime visitors.

Tucked away on the farm’s grounds, Orchard Lake offers visitors the opportunity to spend time outdoors and fish close to home. For people who enjoy fishing or want to try something new, the pond provides another way to experience this popular destination.

For Tyrone Lester, a local resident who enjoys fishing, learning about the attraction was a welcome surprise. “I actually did not know Linvilla offered fishing, and I enjoy fishing! I’ve been on the hunt for a good local place to fish,” Lester said.

He is not alone in overlooking the fishing spot. Jessica Bair discovered Linvilla through TikTok and visited the farm with her children for the first time on Oct. 2. Despite making the trip, she did not realize fishing was another activity available on the property.  Bair said, “I have to go back and take my boys fishing!”

Their experiences show how visitors can enjoy Linvilla without realizing how much more there is to explore. For some, the farm is a fall tradition; for others, it may be a place to discover a new hobby or plan a future family outing.

According to Linvilla’s website, Orchard Lake is stocked with trout and catfish, as well as hybrid striped bass depending on the season. Fishing tickets and pondside passes are available for purchase, and visitors can rent fishing rods if they do not have their own equipment. A fishing license is not required.

The lake is part of a deliberate effort to keep the farm active across all four seasons. Linvilla has operated continuously since 1914, when Arthur Linvill purchased the property. As regional outlets like WHYY and The Philadelphia Inquirer have reported when chronicling suburban development across Delaware County, family-owned farms face intense commercial pressures, making year-round agro-tourism vital to keeping Linvilla preserved as working green space.

That off-season push continues as winter arrives. Many Linvilla visitors are unfamiliar with the indoor mini golf course that takes place every year from January to March for indoor family fun when the weather is cold and dreary. The 18-hole course was constructed by none other than The Academy of Natural Sciences, highlighting the different wonders of nature from dinosaurs and bugs to weather patterns and regional ecosystems. Guests can play the course during regular hours or book private parties after hours for celebrations.

For visitors who know Linvilla best for its pumpkins and fall festivities, Orchard Lake and off-season events offer a reason to see the farm differently. Whether it is this weekend’s Food Truck Frenzy, a quiet fishing trip or an afternoon spent at a winter event, there is more to explore beyond the pumpkin patch. And for some visitors, the next Linvilla tradition might start with an experience they never knew was there.

Plan Your Visit: Linvilla Orchards frequently updates its website with information about seasonal activities, special events, hours and availability. Visitors are encouraged to check Linvilla’s official website at linvilla.com before visiting to confirm current offerings, event details and any associated costs. More information about participating food trucks, entertainment and weekend schedules is available on Linvilla’s webpage.

Photography by Mike Greene