TEMECULA, CA – The annual Big Horse Corn Maze in Temecula is canceled this year due to a lack of sufficient corn growth, event organizers announced this week.
However, maze organizers said other activities will still take place at the site, including the Harvest Festival, which includes a pumpkin patch and other fall-themed activities and will run from Oct. 1 to October 31
Billed as the largest in Southern California, the Big Horse Corn Maze is grown annually on 11 acres of the Corona family property behind the Big Horse Feed and Mercantile store. For years, eager children held high flags and navigated the intricate twists and turns of the elaborate maze.
Owner Maureen Corona tells Patch that every year, her family draws the elaborate maze as the centerpiece of their fall festivities. The last year the event ran smoothly was 2019. Since the pandemic closed, little rain and extreme heat have made the corn too short to be maze-worthy.
An early September heat wave brought extreme temperatures of more than 105 degrees for two weeks in the Temecula Valley, where corn had been growing since the summer. The coming heat wave would further stunt corn growth in time for the festival, the family decided, according to Corona.
Families can still expect bounce houses, the popular pumpkin patch, face painting, a pillow jump and other typical fall fun this season, she said.
Fans expressed both disappointment and understanding over the cancellation on the Corn Mazes Facebook page.
One commenter noted that “the corn field looked stunted” this week, which Big Horse Feed and Mercantile store manager Michelle confirmed.
“The corn has only grown up to our hips,” Michelle said. “Whatever has sprouted will probably go to feed the cows and other animals.”
Near Peltzer Pumpkin Farm in Temecula and Kenny’s Strawberry Farm in Fallbrook are also gearing up for fall festivals, but neither mentioned a corn maze among their activities. Patch reached out to the organizers of both events to confirm if they also had trouble growing corn this season.
“We had hoped to get the maze back for this year,” Corona said. “Between Covid and the weather, I guess we’ll have to wait another year.”
Follow Big Horse on Facebook, where more information will be given before the day of the inauguration.
