Weekend Showcase: Minnesota’s Largest Corn Maze Rows the Boat
Harvest is a time of joy. Thankfully the Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze is open this year. As you might expect with COVID-19 restrictions, some things will look a little different.
“With what we are allowed to do is have food trucks. If you are interested in stopping by and just being part of the food, there is no admission for that,” said Bert Bouwman owner of the Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze.
Of course you still have to pay the food truck vendors for the food you buy. Bouwman and his whole family have also been busy readying the grounds. Due to COVID-19, Bouwman decided not to charge general admission, but there is charge to view the corn maze. While some events, like the petting zoo won’t happen, there’s still plenty to do.
“And we do have the hay ride that goes through the pumpkin patch. So this year is new, you will be able to pick your own pumpkin out of the field. In the past we always picked for you,” said Bouwman.
On the way over to the pumpkin patch the hay ride will pass by Bouwman’s beautiful patch of sunflowers. It is a Kodak picture spot in itself. If you don’t want to go out and find your own pumpkins, no problem. Bouwman has brought in a plethora of pumpkins from the field.
“As you are here, we encourage you to take advantage of the corn maze that we have,” said Bouwman.
Row the Boat Maze
Corn maze honors Gopher sports
Every year for the Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze, Bouwman picks a different design to carve into the maze. Usually its been to honor a Minnesota sports team. This year’s it’s a tribute to the University of Minnesota
“This is physically, by square foot, the largest corn maze in Minnesota,” said Bouwman.
Inside the maze you can do the scavenger hunt for the trivia signs placed throughout the maze where you’ll learn things you may have never known about the Gophers. The tickets are only $6 to roam the maze on weekdays and $8 on the weekends.
That leads to another first at the maze.
”We will be open every day. If you feel like you need a little more space. Monday through Friday noon to six we’ll be open every day,” said Bouwman. And of course they’ll be open on the weekends through Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Even in the current state of things Bouwman continues to prove that if you just row the boat, they will come.
