Pumpkin Fest featuring giant gourds, rides, wine tasting underway in Temecula

TEMECULA (CNS) - For the next four-and-a-half weeks, the autumn season will be celebrated at Peltzer Farms in Temecula, where visitors can pick up huge pumpkins, watch pig races, enjoy a petting zoo and take mini-train rides.The annual "Pumpkin Festival" is a tradition that was inaugurated by the Peltzer family in 2007.The fest officially started last weekend and will continue until Halloween.Visitors can stop by an open-air market and buy gourds as large as 100 pounds, according to organizers. Corn, squash and other vegetables will also be available to purchase.In this past photo, Ava Johnson, left, 1, and her sister Emma, 2, play around the pumpkins at the Peltzer Pumpkin Farm. Valley News/Shane Gibson p