Four of the Best Corn Mazes and Agri-Adventures in the Northwest. In Oregon and Washington fall festivals provide dozens of ways to share screen free fun with your kids on corn maze quests, pumpkin patch trips, and hay rides.  

 

Here's the scoop. We’ve selected some of the best seasonal events for your review. Places to escape with your family and run through a corn maze, sample local honey, carve a pumpkin, play flshlight tag and even stuff a scarecrow. 

French Prairie Gardens Fall Harvest Festival and Pigtucky Derby in St. Paul, Oregon (late September - October). Located in the tranquil Willamette Valley French Prairie Gardens (image to the left) maintains a delightful farm produce market from April to Thanksgiving. Wander through the two-acre pick-your-own Pumpkin Patch. See bunnies, sheep, chickens, and visit the Kids Corral or the Two Acre Corn Maze. Watch the secret lives of chickens from the chicken coop with observation window. Investigate the Tonka toddler dirt play area or participate in the toddler hay bale maze and toddler tricycle races. Best Part: Farmer John and Farmer Eric host the Pigtucky Derby. During the crazy weekend there will be hayrides, hay maze, two-acre corn maze, farm animal display, a obstacle course, pumpkin sling shot, kids corral, pig barrel train rides, and two 20-foot hay slides.  Bonus Points: This is the place to get a luscious fruit shake or eat simply scrumptious Umpqua Ice Cream. (French Prairie Gardens, 17673 French Prairie Rd, St. Paul, OR, 97137. (503) 633-8445 or www.fpgardens.com)

 

Dr. Maze's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Farm Redmond, Oregon. (mid-September - October). Promoting sustainable farming in the Sammamish Valley means connecting Mother Nature with the community and The Doctor does just that. For families the best example is the annual fall harvest celebration where it is possible to pick pumpkins from the vine, meet curious goats, friendly alpacas and go on an old-fashioned hayride. This is the place to find not only popular orange Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins but also ghost pumpkins and specialty gourds. Kids love the hay bale spiral and the almost never ending maze tunnel spiral.  Best Part: On Fridays and Saturdays in October the farm remains open after dark for Flashlight Nights in the maze. Bonus Points: Anytime of the year this is the place to visit for herbal teas, essential oils, mists, and other botanicals from lavender, rosemary, mints, chamomile, and other plants grown on the farm. (Dr. Maze's Corn Maze 15410 NE 124th St. Redmond, WA 98052. (425) 869-9777 or www.drmazesfarm.com)

Sunrise Hill Farm Pumpkin Field and Corn Maze in Kingston, Washington (October). For more than one hundred years the red barn at Sunrise Hill has anchored the land supporting livestock and annual harvests. Today it offers visitors, especially families, a chance to connect to the land and make memories. This is definitely the spot to find lovely pumpkins meant to selected from the field or adopted from those already gathered. Wander through the corn maze, jump in the hay, navigate the kiddie hay bale maze, and meet the resident pony and friendly llamas. Best Part: Spend time with your kids solving the animal tracks puzzle. Bonus Points: Throughout the growing season the farm provides access to U-Cut Flower Gardens with more than 40 different varieties of flowers. (Sunrise Hill Farm Kingston, WA 98346. (360) 297-2334 or sunrisehillfarm.org)

    
Forest Storytelling Festival - Stories, Stories, and More Stories in Port Angeles, Washington (mid-October). Who doesn't love a good story? And while this annaul event suggestion has nothing to do with the harvest season it has merit of its own and so we are passing it along for consideration. Spend the weekend in Port Angeles listening to wonderful story tellers from around the world, join in workshops and enter to win local gifts through a drawing. The program begins Friday evening at 7:30 with a Story Concert. Saturday starts with morning workshops, leading into day programs and an evening concert. Best Part: Sunday has a free program, Stories to Inspire. Bonus Points: In late November the story people join with other storytelling guilds and associations throughout the United States and abroad and offer an annual "Tellabration - A Celebration of Storytelling" concert.(Peninsula College, Little Theatre and Campus, Port Angeles. (360) 417-5031 or Story People)

 

Looking for more corn mazes and agri-adventuresthen go to our aMAZEing Fun. Our next round up will inlcude  family-friendly winter celebrations and Santa Trains. We are building the list right now and would love to have your feedback. So just "Tell Mom!"