Fall is the whole issue this week. The short version: the corn maze in Spruce Grove is running seven days a week except Mondays; the closest u-pick apple orchard has one two-hour window left all season, and it is this Saturday at half price; and two of the region's best-known farms have had a rough year that changes what you will actually find when you get there.

Closest to home, the University of Alberta Botanic Garden sits 5 km north of Devon and closes for the season on Oct 11, which makes the next three weekends the entire remaining window.

Elsewhere: both farmers markets wrap up this week and next, Leduc County has named Oct 4 to 10 Fire Prevention Week, and Devon's policing quietly went to 24 hours a day.

Everything below was checked on the operator's own website. Alberta's fall season is short and weather-dependent, so call ahead if you are driving more than half an hour.

5 km north of Devon on Hwy 60, Parkland County. About 10 minutes from Devon, 25 from Leduc, and the single best fall-colour walk in our area.

Fall hours run Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., through Oct 11, and that is the end of the season, so you have three weekends left. Last entry is an hour before close. The Kurimoto Japanese Garden and the Aga Khan Garden are the two most photographed spots in autumn.

Admission: adults $19.75, seniors 65+ $13.50, youth 13 to 17 and students $10, children 3 to 12 $5.25, under 2 free, family of two adults plus accompanying children $44.75. Dogs $5. There is a 15% discount for military, first responders and U of A alumni with ID.

Two things worth knowing: the water features in the Aga Khan Garden are closed for maintenance, and Fridays through Oct 9 are Seniors' Day, with free coffee at the cafe for anyone 65+ and the hop-on-hop-off tram usually running 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

📍 Plan your visit · 780-492-3267

The last of the local harvest, and both are nearly done.

Free fall-colour walking along the river, and the paid parking season ends Sept 30. Until then it is $15 a day on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and Devon residents can register a plate online to park free.

📍 Voyageur Park

About 45 minutes from Leduc, and the one to pick if you want the full day out. Ten acres, two connected mazes, a brand-new design cut every year. This is their 26th season.

Beyond the maze: farm animals, spud gun launches, mini golf, jumping pillows, farmyard games, a sunflower stroll and a pumpkin patch. There is a farm market on site for produce and local goods on your way out.

Fall hours through Oct 25: Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 1 to 5 p.m., closed Mondays except holidays. Thanksgiving Monday Oct 12 runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sept 30 runs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Admission on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays is $16 general and $14 for youth 4 to 11. Tuesday to Friday it is $14 and $12. Under 4 is free. Buying online saves $1 a ticket and skips the gate line.

One caution straight from them: hours are weather dependent, and not every GPS finds the place. Check before you leave.

📍 51529 Range Rd 262, Spruce Grove · edmontoncornmaze.ca · (825) 535-3600

About 45 minutes from Leduc. An 11th-season family u-pick pumpkin farm, and the one that has changed most this year.

Be clear on what 2026 looks like before you go. Record rain and a cool summer hit the crop, and the field is closed to visitors this year because weeds, thistles and deep drainage channels made it a genuine safety problem. You will still get pumpkins, but from the pavilion rather than off the vine. There will also be very few, if any, pink, blue or red pumpkins.

What is still on: a decorated and festive pavilion, the straw pile and slide, photo areas, the "How Tall This Fall" sign, and games including tic-tac-toe, bean bag toss, ring toss, giant Jenga and Connect 4. New this year are pumpkin bowling, a small "smash zone" for the less photogenic pumpkins, and fire pits going in the evenings once it cools off.

Booking is required and there is a new $5 admission per person, age 3 and up. That is a change from the old one-ticket-per-carload model, and they are open about why: it covers costs so they can plant again next year. Tickets come in 30-minute entry windows and you can stay as long as you like. Only a few days of tickets are released at a time, always added at 7 p.m., so check back if it looks sold out.

Pumpkin prices: super minis $2.50 each or three for $6, small $3 to $5, carving pumpkins $0.60/lb to a $15 max, specialty $1/lb to a $20 max, squash and pie pumpkins $1.60/lb. Debit, Visa, Mastercard and cash. Dogs welcome on leash.

Bring a wagon, closed-toe shoes and long pants, plus your own water and snacks. There is no concession.

📍 Parkland County · edmonton-pick-a-pumpkin.com · (780) 983-5664

About an hour from Leduc, and this is your last chance. An 800-tree orchard with 10 varieties, grown without pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizer. The trees are pruned short so kids can pick without ladders.

The 2026 season is essentially over. They are opening one final time: Saturday Sept 26, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The idea is to let kids hunt the orchard for the last good apples, and everything is half price at $1.15/lb. Cash only.

If you have been meaning to take the kids apple picking this year, this is the window.

📍 attracted2apples.com

About 35 minutes from Leduc. Over 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins along a one-kilometre lit walking path, with music, sound and effects. Runs Sept 25 through Oct 31, roughly 6:30 to 11 p.m., on timed-entry tickets that sell out. Main entrance is at the Natural Swimming Pool parking lot; EXPO Centre parking runs $16.50.

Buy on the official site and confirm your time slot there, since inventory and hours shift through the run.

📍 11020 75A Street, Edmonton · Tickets and details

About an hour and fifteen minutes. Still the biggest fall farm experience in the region, but read this before you plan around it.

Sturgeon County declared an agricultural disaster on Aug 6 after record provincial rainfall, and Prairie Gardens lost several crops. The corn maze and the sunflower maze are not running for fall 2026. Parts of their own website still list those mazes in activity roundups, so do not go by that; the notice on their festival page is the current word.

What is running: u-pick pumpkins from the field or the heated indoor greenhouse patches, hayrides and trackless train rides, a straw bale maze, the petting farm with goats and sheep, pumpkin carnival games, scarecrow building, gem mining, puppet shows and a kid-friendly haunted farm house with no gore.

The calendar splits in two. The Fall-o-Ween harvest festival is the September event, classic autumn traditions. The Haunted Pumpkin Festival runs every weekend in October and adds ghost walks, a ghost town, haunted pumpkin displays and costumed characters. New this year is a Pumpkin Patch & Pancake Breakfast that includes a Fall-o-Ween ticket, scarecrow building and a $5 experience voucher.

Fall hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Two planning notes: book online in advance, which saves $8 a ticket and is strongly preferred over walking in, and avoid weekday mornings Monday to Thursday, which are reserved for school field trips from 9 a.m. to noon. Fridays and weekends are open to the public all day. Pumpkins are sold by weight and you get a $5 voucher toward one.

📍 56311 Lily Lake Road, Bon Accord · prairiegardens.org · 780-921-2272

These positions are extremely important within our team and are a great opportunity for anyone who loves engaging with others, thrives in a social setting and wants to build genuine relationships in the community.

Required:

- You are very detail oriented with a high expectation for your work.

- You thrive in a busy, multi-tasking environment (and keep calm!)

- Your autopilot setting is kindness and positivity.

- You take initiative and are a true team player.

- You’ve been told you are an excellent communicator and have outstanding interpersonal skills.

- You are always 5 minutes early and “dependable” is your middle name.

- Veterinary medical experience is an asset, but a positive attitude with strong communication skills and willingness to learn is mandatory!

- You have a genuine interest in getting to know others and develop strong relationships with the people around you.

- You are looking for a long-term position.

To do good work, we need good people. Send your resume if you are looking for a career in Beaumont.

[email protected]

We look forward to meeting you!

The crew at Range Road Veterinary

Journey - Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB - Thursday Sep 24 at 07:30 PM - Tickets

Hamilton Tigercats at Edmonton Elks - Commonwealth Stadium - Edmonton, Edmonton, AB - Saturday Sep 26 at 05:00 PM → Tickets

NHL Preseason - Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers - Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB - Saturday Sep 26 at 07:00 PM → Tickets

Edmonton Oilers Home Opener - September 29 → Secure your tickets

Events in Calgary → See the list here

Events in Vancouver → See the list here

Events in Toronto → See the list here

Overnight on-call policing becomes 24/7

Devon and Parkland RCMP formally integrated their policing operations effective Aug 14. Devon's policing now runs within the Parkland detachment while keeping a dedicated RCMP presence in town, and the change residents will actually feel is the move from overnight on-call coverage to 24-hour, seven-day-a-week policing. The Devon detachment office stays open for front-counter service Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Town also released crime numbers for January to May 2026 against the same period in 2025: crimes against persons down 15 per cent, property crime down 25 per cent, break and enters from five to two, vehicle thefts from nine to two, and robberies from three to zero. Read the full article (Town of Devon, Sept 15)

Fourteen teenagers spent part of the summer working for the Town

Devon ran its first 4x4 Youth Micro Work Experience Program this summer, a pilot funded by the Devon Lions Club. Fourteen youth aged 14 to 17 each spent 16 hours working alongside Town staff across a range of departments, and fourteen Town employees volunteered as supervisors and mentors. Each participant received a $200 honorarium. The program was built to fill a real gap: there is very little paid work experience available to that age group locally, and the youth themselves had said so. FCSS Supervisor Ki Wilson credited both the participants and the colleagues who stepped up to mentor them. The Town will use participant and supervisor feedback to decide whether it runs again. Read the full article (Town of Devon, Sept 11)

Until next time,

Send us your lost pets, garage sales, fundraisers, volunteer callouts, minor sports results, and new openings. Photos welcome!

[email protected]

Identity theft can happen to anyone. Coveron monitors your credit, dark web, and financial activity to catch fraud before it costs you. One scam can cost you everything, protect yourself now, the first 100 users get 20% off with code beehiivenewsletter.

Get Fraud Coverage Now!

_{30-day money-back guarantee. Terms and conditions apply.}