Lake Metroparks Farmpark prepares Paul Revere-themed corn maze
Lake Metroparks Farmpark is taking visitors back to the American Revolution and Paul Revere’s ride for this year’s edition of its annual corn maze.
The maze is one of the festivities planned at the Farmpark over the next couple of months to signal that fall is coming. This past April also marked the 250th anniversary of Revere’s ride, while the United States will celebrate 250 years of declared independence next year.
“Because of the 250th anniversary of America coming up, we wanted to celebrate that in some sense,” said Farmpark Event Manager Andy McGovern. “Every spring, we kind of run through a bunch of different ideas and what we’re thinking, so we were challenged to do a 250th anniversary theme.”
Participants are given a letter from Gen. George Washington and tasked with finding five lanterns that Revere lost in the 3-acre maze, McGovern said. The goal is to find the lanterns without running into any of the 10 posters with a British Redcoat soldier.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun for the kids,” he said. “We’re going to have a lot of Americana theming through the whole thing.”
McGovern said that the corn was planted in May. The trail was cut in July and the dead ends were added later.
The stalks range from about 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 feet. He said the stalks in a typical year get up to 9 feet.
“We planted it and then as we all know, it didn’t rain here for a little bit,” McGovern said. “So the corn maze is just like everybody else’s corn.”
A banner welcomes visitors to the 2025 Paul Revere's Run corn maze at the Lake Metroparks Farmpark. The maze is set to open Sept. 2. (Courtesy of Andy McGovern)
The corn maze opens on Sept. 2 and will be open on Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the Metroparks website. McGovern said it is open rain or shine.
“You are in a field,” he said. “It’s going to be a little uneven, and rain time it will be a little muddy, so just be prepared.”
The Farmpark is located at 8800 Euclid-Chardon Road in Kirtland.
Admission to the Farmpark ranges from $7-9 a person depending on age, with free admission for children under 2, Farmpark members with an ID and active military service members and their families who show military ID. Lake County residents with proof of residency can also enter free on the first Sunday and third Tuesday of each month, according to the Metroparks.
Farmpark will be closed to regular admission and programming during the Village Peddler Festival on Sept. 13-14, stated the park district website.
Other fall-themed Farmpark events this year include Horsepower Weekend on Sept. 20-21, Apple and Honey Harvest Weekend on Sept. 27-28 and Corn and Pumpkin Weekend on Oct. 4-5.
McGovern said that the Farmpark traditionally closes the corn maze after the Corn and Pumpkin Weekend, but it will leave it up longer if the corn looks good.
“We’re a family fun event,” he said of the park’s fall programming. “But we like to create memories, and you passively learn where your food and fiber comes from.”