 Family Travel Files Ezine Family Vacations Resource |
Canada: Heartland, Best Corn Mazes and Fall Festivals for Families. From Ontario to Manitoba and Saskatchewan there is no time like the present to take the kids and getaway for some fun. Mazes provide unique examples of agri-art meant to be enjoyed and we have assembled some of the best for you review. It’s time to find the perfect pumpkin; share a hayride with your child; hug a goat feed a bunny.
Saskatchewan: Lumsden, Pumpkin Hollow. Located not far from Regina, Pumpkin Hollow is the “Coziest Place in Saskatchewan.” Pumpkin Hollow has a pumpkin patch, train rides, a straw or hay bale maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, wagon rides, pony rides, a “friendly forest” and a farm animal petting zoo. New this year is the corn cannon, families are invited to come and take aim at lots of fun targets. On September 10th Pumpkin Hollow is hosting a Pirate Party, Pumpkin Hollow’s 2nd Annual Pumpkin Princess Pageant is on Saturday October 15th and this year's Halloween Extravaganza will be on October 23rd. Additionally, on several weekends throughout the fall, Pumpkin Hollow hosts Pumpkin Princess Tea Party with a pumpkin princess autograph and photo area, a build-a-princess scarecrow area and other princess-themed activities. Discovery: Around Halloween there are special Halloween-themed activities, including a haunted corn maze to explore, a lil’ kids spookhouse. When? The corn maze is open from the beginning of August through to the end of October. (Exit C On Highway 11 North, Lumsden, SK S0G-3C0. (306) 540-2400, pumpkinhollow@sasktel.net, or www.pumpkinhollow.ca)
Ontario: Buckhorn, Buckhorn Berry Farm. During the autumn months, Buckthorn Berry Farm, under the ownership of the McLean family, hosts a pumpkin festival with a haunted barn, Bonesville Cemetery, hay rides to the pumpkin patch, magic shows, barnyard animals and a pumpkin catapult. Daily entertainment at the festival is provided by Tim Holland, the Juggling Fool. The pumpkin patch is Pick-Your-Own-Pumpkin. Admittence to the festival includes visits to see the barnyard animals, exploration of the mazes, access to the play centers, Bonesville Cemetery and wagon rides. When? The Pumpkin Festival is open each weekend throughout the month of October, between the hours of 11AM and 5PM. (1 mile south of Buckhorn off Peterborough County 23 (Buckhorn Rd.) on Deer Bay Rd., Buckhorn, ON. (705) 657-8888, info@buckhornberryfarm.com or www.buckhornberryfarm.com)
Manitoba: Springfield, Deer Meadow Farms. Deer Meadow Farms hosts corn mazes and a hobby farm every year, as well as tractor-pulled hay rides, a picnic area, a petting zoos, and hosts of farm animals. This year the farm will feature two mazes: a kids maze and a full-sized maze. The kids maze has six stations to discover, where little explorers put their paper over an etched picture ad transfer the etching into their own paper with a crayon, creating a mural. The full size maze has hidden stations in the permanent frontier style maze made of timber cuttings (slabs) and recycled pallets and places for etching transfers of farm animals to fill a paper silo. After finishing the maze, players can compare their 'animal personality' with their friends. When? The corn maze opens officially opens August 23rd, and then from Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-4:00 throughout the autumn. (Deer Meadow Farms. 67-127 Deacon Road, Springfield, Manitoba, MB R0E. (204) 222-1824 or www.deermeadowfarms.com)
Manitoba: Winnipeg, Six Pines Ranch & Farm Tours.  The Six Pines Halloween Haunt, starting October 7th, takes place on an old 1911 farm, six miles north of Winnipeg. Six Pines invites families to explore a mysterious, frightening place - Castle Frigtenstone. Additionally Six Pines offers family trick-or-treat fun with "fangtastic" event for all the little ghouls. Six Pines offers two ways experience its delightfully spooky attractions - Fun by Day, for the whole family, and Fright by Night for more mature scares! Bonus Points: Six Pines also has hay rides, guided tours around the farm and invites families to bring old clothing to the farm to make their own scarecrows! When? Throughout the month of October. (Six Pines Ranch & Farm Tours. Sturgeon Road, 2.5 miles north of Perimeter Hwy, Winnipeg, MB R3C 2E6. (204) 633-3326 or www.sixpines.mb.ca/halloween.html)
Manitoba: St. Adolphe, A Maze in Corn. ‘A Maze in Corn,’ the oldest corn maze experience in Manitoba is located just ten minutes south of Winnipeg. In addition to the corn maze, there’s a petting zoo with sheep, chickens, rabbits, ponies, llamas, Clydesdales, alpacas, and kittens. Other activities include: horse-drawn hayrides, pony rides, a giant 20-foot –tall bale pyramid, and a pumpkin barn. Families can opt to race through the maze by daylight or take a flashlight and try to master the maze after dark. Bonus Points: The Haunted Forest opens on October 1, and promises to deliver chills, thrills, spooks and scares galore. When? The Corn Maze runs from the end of August through the end of October. (Corn Maze 1351 Provincial Road 200 St. Adolphe, Manitoba, R5A 1A2. (204) 883-2048 or www.cornmaze.ca)
Please tell mom! We want to expand the list and need your help. If you have a favorite fall festival or know of an awesome corn maze please " Tell Mom" and we will add it to the list. Make sure to include the name of the festival or event and its location on the planet as well as why you like it or what makes it worth the trip. Our next round up will include family-friendly winter celebrations and enchanting Santa Trains. We are building the list right now and would love to have your feedback. So just " Tell Mom!" Information compiled from our extensive database as of August 2011. Sometimes things change, so please confirm details before making plans. Copyright 2011.
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