August may have slipped away, but who cares? It’s basically cardigan season, and now that Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is on hiatus (which allowed her time to win seven VMA awards last night), a Taylor-themed corn maze is one way for Swifties to get a fix.
When Carol Paul, owner of Anne Arundel County’s MD Corn Maze (389 Gambrills Rd., Gambrills), heard the pitch from the friend of her youngest son, she thought back to her daughter-in-law, who loves Swift, probably even more than she loves her husband, Paul laughs. Moms are always looking for things to do with their children, she reasoned. Why not make it fun for them, too? (Believe it or not, this isn’t the first Swiftie maze around here: Summers Farm in Frederick created one in 2015 after the release of her album, 1989.)
The Pauls have run the 8-acre corn maze since 2006, picking a new theme each year. The couple draws a tentative design, then sends it off to The MAiZE, a maze-building company, to finalize the paths. Each June, Paul’s husband plants the corn, then, two weeks later, they use GPS coordinates to carve out walkways while the crops are only around two inches tall. All that’s left is to wait for the corn to grow, then get lost in the maze.
This year, the Pauls’ design includes Swift’s lucky number (13), her birth year (1989), and hands shaped into a heart wearing beaded bracelets. The entrance is marked by a 16-foot-tall guitar. There will also be a photo opp, and a Taylor Swift cover act on October 2.
Other (non-Taylor-themed) attractions include a pumpkin patch, zip line, and petting zoo, and all are included in the price of a ticket (they start at $18).
“I have four kids myself,” Paul says, “And I wanted parents to feel like once they walked in the door, the kid could go on [their favorite thing] over and over again.”
There are a few special event days planned. Princess weekend, when they’ll bring in princesses and a live “unicorn,” is on September 21 and 22. Superhero weekend—when fire, EMS, and police workers get discounted tickets—is September 28, September 29, and October 4. And bring-your-dog weekend is November 1 through November 3.
The maze will be open every weekend, and some weekdays starting in October, from September 14 to November 3. Tickets are available here.
