It is that time of the year again! The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden opened its much anticipated “Autumn at the Arboretum” exhibit on Sept. 22.

The exhibit, which was named “Best Fall Festival” by Country Living Magazine, has elements to excite visitors of all ages ranging from food tastings to concerts to movie nights. Visitors are met with pumpkin-lined pathways, hay bales and displays of fall colors at every turn.

The highlight, however, is the Pumpkin Village, which features over 90,000

pumpkins and over 150,000 seasonal plants and flowers.

This year, the theme of the Village is ‘Adventures in Neverland,’ from the classic book Peter and Wendy, allowing kids to explore the story of Peter Pan and giving adults the chance to reminisce about a favorite book from their own childhoods.

Terry Lendecker says that picking the theme of the Village each year is a collaborative effort.

“We really work together to think of a unique idea that will drive attendance to the arboretum,” Lendecker said. “We have a saying here: what would make people drive across town to come see? That’s always our goal.”

This year’s Village accomplishes that. It incorporates several interactive displays into the design, including a pirate ship complete with a plank and a wheel, and version of Tinker Bells’ home made out of pumpkins.

Tickets to the festival include entry to the whole arboretum, so there are more than enough photo-ops. There were many families taking pictures of their kids, and even a few professional photo shoots happening inside the Pumpkin Village.

The Arboretum feels like a little oasis within the big city of Dallas. With 19 gardens, the Arboretum was named “One of the World’s 15 Most Breathtaking Gardens” by Architectural Digest. It is located near White Rock Lake, which means the views of both the lake and downtown are excellent.

Adult tickets cost $15, and parking is an additional $15. The fall festival runs through Nov. 21.