From butternut squash bowling and the scarecrow relay race, to the pumpkin pie contest and prizes galore, the second annual Great Pumpkin Hunt at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens promises to be fun for the whole family this weekend.

Come to the Gardens from 1-3:30 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 24, for a fall day that is packed with games, contests, activities and prizes!

Admission will be free during this event and donations to the Boothbay Region Food Pantry will be gratefully accepted.

Kids can hunt for the golden pumpkins during the hunt itself, and the lucky finders will win gift certificates to purchase their family’s Thanksgiving meal. Prizes will be given to kids for completing games, and to families for having the best carved pumpkin during the pumpkin carving contest or the tastiest pumpkin pie for the pumpkin pie contest.

To add to the festivities, there will be bluegrass music with Chris Moore, Chris Dombrowski and Ted Demille. In addition, the Gardens is welcoming back Sweet & Salty Kettle Korn, who will be on site selling their tasty treats. The Gardens Gift Shop will also be having a special storewide end of season sale, with everything in the gift shop 20 percent off the regular price.

Activities will start promptly at 1 p.m., so please check in at the table on the Great Lawn when you arrive. Kids are even invited to take a pumpkin home with them when they leave! If there is bad weather, the rain date is Sunday, Oct. 25.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, opened to the public in 2007 and rapidly became a much-appreciated attraction and educational resource for all ages in all seasons. It’s one of a very few attractions in Maine to receive the AAA’s “Gem” distinction and in 2013 was ranked the #1 public garden by TripAdvisor. The number of visitors has increased each year, with roughly 105,000 welcomed in 2014.

The Gardens is located at 132 Botanical Gardens Drive, off Barters Island Road, just over a mile from Route 27 and the Boothbay common. For more information and directions, call 207-633-8000, or visit www.mainegardens.org.