The cornfields are buzzing with activity and fall spirit at Marini Farm! On September 7, 2013 Marini Farm opened its 11th corn maze, “T-Rex on the Loose.” The new maze design which features the giant of all dinosaurs, T-Rex, challenges seasonal maze travelers with winding pathways that create directional confusion. Each year the number of visitors grows, new activities are added and new and exciting maze challenges presented. This year the farm pushed the maze back 100 feet and made room for the new maze park which is a great gathering spot for families. The new maze park includes duck racing, a kid’s corn box, hayrides, apple cannon, inflatables and a large rope maze. “Our goal is for families to have a great experience and leave our farm happy. We hope they share their pictures and memories with their friends and family,” stresses Mike Marini, owner/operator.Top twenty things to know about the Marini Farm corn maze:
- The maze was just rated the 4th best maze in the country by Family Travel Files
- It is one of the largest corn mazes in MA at 10 acres and 10 miles of pathways, and this is the 11 year anniversary for the maze
- It takes 6 hours to cut the corn maze, depending on the complexity of the maze design, and it is done through GPS mapping technology which is placed on the tractor
- They have spotter flags to help people maneuver the maze and get some directional help
- The maze gets over 10,000 visitors each maze season
- The 2013 maze opened on 9/7 and closes on 11/2
- This is the first season the maze is opened 7 days a week for a total of 46 hours
- The 2013 design, “T-Rex on the Loose”, is of a life size T-Rex with a baby on his back
- The average time to get through the maze is 2 hours, and the best time recorded is 1 hour
- The maze is designed to be both educational and interactive, with about 20 clue stations (all about dinosaurs) strategically placed throughout the labyrinth to help adventurers conquer the nearly 10 miles of paths.
- Flashlight nights started Sept. 20th (every Fri./Sat. night) from 6:00 PM-10:30 PM
- The maze opened with Doggy Days (all dogs free) on September 7/8. Donations were provided the local Ipswich Humane Society
- The Maze was cut July 5th in just six hours and each intricate cut was made by a GPS system.
- Every season we try to make our mazes challenging enough to make it difficult to navigate, however, not so challenging that you give up.
- The maze is a carnival of activities for all ages and has inflatables, a finger fortune maze, sand tunnel, duck races, a rope maze and corn box
- Each winter during dinner the family bounces ideas off each other until they agree on a creative theme for the upcoming season
- The corn maze is the Farm’s biggest annual event
- This is the first year they have had national beverage companies (Polar Cola, Honest Tea) provide product samplings.
- Marini Farm is an official participant in the globally-recognized Spookley the Square Pumpkin bullying prevention program.
Marini would like to thank the 2013 “T-Rex on the Loose” sponsors:
Roof Lizard Sponsors: Sorrento Dental, Honest Tea, Dairy Queen of Ipswich, Pomodori, Polar Beverages, and Ipswich Ale Brewery.
Dino-Bird Sponsors: Ipswich Country Club, Ipswich YMCA, North Shore Kids, Ipswich Ale Brewery, Dr. Edmund Goolsby, Pingree School, Chrissie's Cafe and the First National Bank of Ipswich.
We will be having some online and onsite maze contests for two special prizes donated by Ipswich Country Club and the Ipswich YMCA. STAY CONNECTED ON THE FACEBOOK PAGES TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO PARTICIPATE.
Answers to questions like “Which body part made dinosaurs faster than reptiles?” will provide maze visitors with clues to advance to the next location in the maze. So make sure you study up on your dinosaur history and facts to save some valuable time.
No better spot to celebrate the spirit of autumn! Come and make a day of it and take a hayride, pick up your pumpkins and mums, cruise the maze and relax and enjoy the beauty and splendor of fall.Tickets are $10.95 for the maze park daytime admission and $12.95 for flashlight nights.
