NEPA Scene Staff

New drive-thru Halloween Light Show opens at Lakeland Orchard & Cidery in Scott Twp. on Sept. 18

New drive-thru Halloween Light Show opens at Lakeland Orchard & Cidery in Scott Twp. on Sept. 18
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​From a press release:

Fall is here, which brings cool weather, darker nights, and fun frights.

Lakeland Orchard & Cidery in Scott Township will open its brand new Halloween Light Show this Friday, Sept. 18.

Drive the mile-long trail through the orchard and be dazzled by over 50,000 lights until Sunday, Nov. 1. Spooky scenes include ghosts, goblins, a haunted castle, trick-or-treaters, and much more. It isn’t too scary, though, to please all ages.

After the drive, stop in the Cider Garden to warm up by the fire pits, enjoy a seasonal hard cider, eat at the Burger Shop, shop at the Retail Tent for some classic fall goodies, or try your hand at axe throwing for an additional cost.

The one-of-a-kind light show runs on Thursdays through Sundays from 7 p.m.-10 p.m., and tickets are $20 per car from Sept. 18-Sept. 30 and $25 per car from Oct. 1-Nov. 1. All tickets for the 2020 season must be purchased online at lakelandorchard.com.

This year, the Lakeland Orchard & Cidery (1649 Lakeland Dr., Scott Township) opened to the public on Aug. 1 and will close Nov. 1. Regular hours are Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

In 2019, Roba Family Orchard rebranded to Lakeland Orchard & Cidery, but other than the new name and logo, nothing has changed in the way they do business, as it is still owned and operated by the Roba family.

In the spring of 2012, the first crop of high-density, trellised apple trees were planted at the orchard. When they opened their doors, they had no idea that the Family Orchard would grow into what it is today. To date, they’ve grown more than 30 different kinds of apples spread across 20,000 trees.

Since opening the gates eight years ago, the size of the orchard has quadrupled, even adding four and a half acres of “cut your own” sunflowers and three acres of zinnias. For the kids, there’s a fully restored Country Carousel and Cow Train Express, along with attractions like Jenn’s Giant Corn Box, the Pumpkin Bounce, and Goat Corral, as well as yard games for children and adults that are guaranteed to keep visitors entertained for hours. The newest additions to the orchard are live music and axe throwing in the Cider Garden.

John Roba dreamed of someday owning a Christmas tree farm. In 1984, he found the perfect piece of land to make his dream a reality when he purchased a 52-acre dairy farm in North Abington Township, a few miles north of Scranton. The first Christmas trees were planted in 1985, and the farm opened for “choose and cut” retail sales in December of 1990.

John married Sue in 1988 and, together with their children, they built Roba Family Farms into the successful business it is today. Jennifer, Jeff, and Jake not only grew up on the farm but also contributed to the growth of the business. As the years have gone on, the second generation of Robas are taking lead roles in the daily operations of the family business. Both Jennifer and Jeff have active roles in managing the farms, while Jake contributes during the fall and Christmas seasons on weekends. Jake is a graduate of Duquesne University, and Jeff is a graduate of Bucknell University. Jennifer has two beautiful children, Gabrielle and Johnny, who love to visit the farm.

In 1993, Roba Family Farms (230 Decker Rd., North Abington Twp.) began selling pumpkins, hoping this “side business” would help promote Christmas tree sales. The pumpkin patch quickly became very popular. Much like a pumpkin vine that overtakes an entire home garden, this side operation grew from its three acre beginnings to encompass nearly the entire original 52-acre farm. The original farm is now dominated by fall fun and harvest activities and is a major destination for locals as well as out of state visitors.

But the Roba family hasn’t forgotten about what originally brought them to the business. In 1999, they bought a 196-acre farm in Scott Township, known affectionately as “the Lakeland Farm,” where they have been growing Christmas trees ever since. The Lakeland Farm has been open on the weekends in December for retail Christmas tree sales since 2007. The Scott Township farm is also the location of Lakeland Orchard & Cidery, which opened in the fall of 2013 for “pick your own” apples and later added a carousel and “pick your own” sunflowers and zinnias.

Today, Roba’s is spread out over three farms and grows over 100 acres of trees, including evergreens and shade and flowering trees, as well as pumpkins and other fall specialty crops. The Robas are proud to be a family owned and operated business and are grateful to the many visitors who come to Lakeland Orchard & Cidery to enjoy family time and celebrate the fall season.