With eight acres of corn planted and a design paying tribute to a central Ohio icon, the Rausch family is bringing the “MAiZE craze” back to Ohio.
The popular Milford Center labyrinth, that drew thousands of visitors last fall, will once again seek to get curious maze-goers lost when it opens to the public on Saturday.
Part of an increasingly popular “agritainment” trend, it will be joined this year by nearly 220 affiliated MAiZE sites across the United States, Canada and Europe.
The Rausch family, in partnership with maze designer Brett Herbst – the world’s leading designer of more than 1500 corn mazes – hopes to give even more people a chance to experience the unique source of good farming fun in their newly-designed labyrinth. This year’s corn maze pays tribute to Ohio Native and golf legend Jack Nicklaus.
Though the correct pathways can be walked in under 30 minutes, most visitors – adults and children alike – will require about one hour to travel through more than two miles of twists and turns with 85 decision points.
The MAiZE will give visitors the chance to “get lost” Sept. 18 through Oct. 31. Hours of operation are are Fridays 5–10 p.m., Saturdays Noon–10 p.m., and Sundays Noon–6 p.m. Field trip hours, during weekdays, are available by reservation. The MAiZE is located off Route 161, about 10 miles south of Marysville and 8 miles west of Plain City. There is a fee for admission. For teachers who can’t take their students on the farm for a field trip, there is a virtual field trip option available. For more information, call 937-349-4781 or visit www.mazeandberries.com.
Ways To Enjoy The MAiZE
In an ongoing effort to ensure that the MAiZE experience offers something for everyone, the public will find an increased number of ways to experience the maze this year:
•Open both day and night, The MAiZE caters to school field trips during the day and has created an elementary education campaign that includes: customized ag-in-the-classroom lesson plans and activity sheets for teachers, discounted field trip opportunities, on-site educational displays, and an agricultural “passport” that integrates education into the maze experience and helps guide students along the correct pathway. Teachers can access curriculum materials and field trip information online at www.themaize.com. Field trips can also be scheduled by reservation. Virtual field trips are available.
•Interactive “passports” are available for groups and the general public. Each contains ten questions that quiz the user on a chosen subject, and those who answer the questions correctly will receive clues that guide them along the correct path to the exit. Subjects include: sports, boy scouting, girl scouting, scriptural, American history, interactive, teambuilding, 4-H, Halloween and agriculture.
•In an effort to make the experience as easy or as hard as visitors want it to be, the maze has been divided into two phases. Participants will have the option to continue on to the next phase or exit the maze at the entrance to the second level.
•In October, the haunted Field of Fright will take on a Halloween twist. Spooks will be lurking in the corn at night.
•The MAiZE will also have additional activities including a pumpkin patch, hayrides, Barnyard Bouncer, Ludicrous Low Ropes, Paintball Pandemonium, Pumpkin Blaster, corn cannons, cow barrel train, Ball Zone, Laser Tag, Dodgeball, farm animals, pedal carts, tube slide, PVC roller slide, rubber duck races, Spiderweb, and a Kiddie Maze. Gaga ball is new for 2021.
Special events you won’t want to miss at The MAiZE this year are:
Sept. 18-19, 24-26
Oct. 1-3 Flower Power Days – U-pick sunflowers & zinnias will be available for purchase
Sept. 18-19 Scout Weekend – Scout groups receive the group rate and free scout patch
Sept. 26 Dog Day The MAiZE – Joni Cox of Agape Imaging will take pictures of your dog in the sunflower field (donations accepted). Proceeds to go to the Union County Humane Society. No aggressive dogs please.
Oct. 2 Pumpkin Fest Day – It’s October! Let’s celebrate the start of pumpkin season! Balloon Sculptures by Erica Carlson & Face Painting by Kim Heminger, free with admission in.
Oct. 17 Giant Pumpkin Carving by Gus the Squashcarver – Come see what giant pumpkin carving is created this year
Oct. 24
Trick or Treat and Costume contest – Kids wear their costume, trick or treat for candy & enter our costume contest. Marshall from Paw Patrol & other guests will help with Trick or Treat.
Oct. 31 Great Pumpkin Smash – Pumpkin Destruction on the final day of the season! Let’s smash pumpkins and win prizes! Grand prize is a pair of OSU football tickets to the Purdue game & 2nd prize is a pair of Blue Jackets tickets.
The Field of Fright haunted attraction is open Fridays & Saturdays at dark, Oct. 8 – 30.
Refer to www.mazeandberries.com for more information.