The Carter County Fair
The Corn Maze
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The concept for this year's design was a complex one. Lots of ideas had to be incorporated. That engineering feat fell to FFA Alum Blake Cooke, who along with his dad, Donald, worked and re-worked the design, the paths and the way it would fit the cornfield. Next came the actual plotting and cutting of the maze corridors. Maintaining the field and finally the clean-up and prep for opening day. 

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"So, tell me a little more about this maze thing..."

Our little maze is five acres of ground, chock full of corn plants with corridors cut throughout so people can walk through the patch. There is an entrance and an exit and the object is to find your way from one to the other with the fewest errors. If you make no wrong turns in this maze, you will walk eight-tenths of one mile. The corn is lush and green, the fall sky is blue overhead and 80% of the walkways are five-feet or more in width.

Actually, five acres is pretty small in the corn maze universe. The largest corn maze in the world is located in Dixon, California, and is 40 acres in area. The Guinness Book of World Records gave this designation in September, 2007. 

While the concept of a corn maze is new to Carter County, Kentucky, people have been enjoying the puzzle of navagating mazes for centuries.

Christopher Berg, web author at Amazeing Art (amazeingart.com) describes the first known mazes...

"Although the true origins of the maze probably go back to neolithic times, the earliest mazes we know of were actually architectural monuments built in Egypt and on Crete (an island in the Mediterranean) about 4000 years ago.

The most impressive of these architectural mazes was known as the Egyptian Labyrinth. A vast palace complex located on the shores of a lake seven days journey up the Nile from the pyramids, the Labyrinth was built by pharaoh Amenemhet III in the 19th century BC. It consisted of thousands of rooms and twelve large maze-like courtyards, which were probably intended to keep out unwelcome visitors. Amenemhet was fascinated by mazes, and he also created a fantastic life-size maze inside his nearby pyramid to thwart tomb robbers.

According to the only two ancient historians who saw it with their own eyes, the Egyptian Labyrinth was more impressive than the Pyramids at Giza. Although archaeologists have found the site it once stood upon, nothing of this mysterious monument remains today.

Perhaps the most well-known ancient architectural maze is the Minoan palace at Knossos on Crete. Built around the same time as the Egyptian Labyrinth, Knossos was a vast interconnected complex of small corridors, staircases and private courts, and once consisted of perhaps 1,300 rooms spread over three acres of land. Spiral and labyrinth designs on coins and pottery, as well as hundreds of bull-horns carved in stone and wall paintings of young men leaping over charging bulls, can be found at the site. These are intriguing clues, since according to Greek legend the Minotaur was a half-man and half bull monster, trapped within a Labyrinth, that devoured Athenian youth."  Read more about mazes at his very interesting site.

While our maze doesn't have a built in Minotaur, we are planning a HAUNTED MAZE as part of Halloween. Be sure and check the schedule for details about that spooky evening and all that will go along with it.

Thanks to all our visitors for a great season!
The Corn Maze is closed.

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THE CORN MAZE POLL
How did you hear about the corn maze?
What did you enjoy about the corn maze?
How would you rate your level of enjoyment at the Carter County Corn Maze?
How would you rate your level of enjoyment at the Haunted Maze?

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OPEN SEVEN WEEKENDS
Sept. 20 - Nov. 1, 2008
Saturday hours: 10 am - 8 pm (Night maze after dark!)
Sunday hours: 2 pm - 6 pm 
At the Carter County Fairgrounds, US 60 West of Grayson, Kentucky
 
$5 admission to the Daylight Maze
$7.50 admission to the Night Maze (includes loan of a flashlight)
$7.50 admission to the Haunted Maze
Note: The last Night Maze ticket will be sold at 8 p.m.
 
Kids 3 and under FREE!
Kids 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult to enter the maze.
No refunds. No rainchecks. No pets allowed. No smoking in the maze.
 
 
 The Carter County Corn Maze is a great fun-filled excursion for you and your family. For seven weekends in the fall, the fairgrounds will be home to a 5-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, hay bale climb, hayrides and more.  Other activities scheduled include: petting zoo (on two weekends), sorghum making (9/27&28 and 10/11&12), the Night Maze each Saturday evening, two movie nights, the “cow train” for little ones and more. 
 
Make plans early for your group by scheduling at least two weeks in advance of your arrival date. (Available to groups of 12 or more. One chaperone required per each 10 children.) Payment must be received prior to arrival. Call 606-474-8833 or606-225-0595 for scheduling information. 
 
 
HERE'S THE SCOOP ON THE SCHEDULE
Check back often as events are added to the schedule. 
 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25
10 am - 8 pm 
MOVIE NIGHT
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

Then, here at the fairgrounds, expect all the fun of fall in Kentucky! Plus a movie on our big screen.
And, at dusk, rent your flashlight and TRY THE MAZE after dark....SPOOKY! 
  • Maze
  • Night Maze
  • Movie on the Big Screen
  • Concessions
  • Pumpkins for sale
  • Indian Corn for sale
  • Hayrides
  • Hay Bale Mountain for kids to climb
  •  Corn hole set up and waiting for players
 
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26
2 pm - 6 pm 

 Sunday hours at the Maze pack a whole lot of fun into just a few hours.
  • Maze
  • Concessions
  • Pumpkins for sale
  • Indian Corn for sale
  • Hayrides
  • Hay Bale Mountain for kids to climb
  •  Corn hole set up and waiting for players
 
 
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31
6 pm - Midnight
LAST TICKET SOLD AT 11 p.m. -- Don't be late!
HAUNTED MAZE
MOVIE NIGHT 
"Stephen King's Children of the Corn"
 
Boo! Scary! Very scary! Tonight in honor or Halloween.. the MAZE GETS SPOOKED!
In fact, it may be so scary, it's inadvisable for small children.
  • Night Maze and it's HAUNTED! Click here to read more
  • Movie on the Big Screen 
  • Concessions
  • Pumpkins for sale
  • Indian Corn for sale
  • Hayrides
  • Hay Bale Mountain for kids to climb
  •  Corn hole set up and waiting for players
 
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1
DAYLIGHT MAZE (no haunts) 10 am - 4 pm
NIGHT MAZE (Haunted and Scary) 6 pm - Midnight
LAST TICKET SOLD AT 11 p.m. -- Don't be late!
HAUNTED MAZE AT NIGHT
MOVIE NIGHT 
"Stephen King's Children of the Corn"
 
Boo! Scary! Very scary! It's the last night of the maze... and the MAZE GETS SPOOKED!
In fact, it may be so scary, it's inadvisable for small children.
  • Day Maze without haunts
  • Night Maze and it's HAUNTED! Click here to read more
  • Movie on the Big Screen
  • Concessions
  • Pumpkins for sale
  • Indian Corn for sale
  • Hayrides
  • Hay Bale Mountain for kids to climb
  •  Corn hole set up and waiting for players
 

 
 
 

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Groups are welcome with prior arrangements!

Bring your office, your youth group, your family reunion, your birthday party -- whatever! As long as you have made your reservation well in advance (at least one week) and you will have at least 12 persons (that's our definition of "a group") -- we will be pleased to offer you our special group rate. The group rate includes the maze, one hayride plus a hotdog, chips and drink for only $7.50.

To begin scheduling your group's arrival, please call 606-474-8833 or 606-225-0595. Mindy or Kim can answer your questions and help get your group on the schedule.

Classroom groups are welcome with prior arrangements!

Kids get educational content and fun, too!

Teachers, the Carter County Maze is a great place for educational opportunities! Our classroom handout, compiled from the "Corn in the Classroom" portion of the Kentucky Corn Growers Association (www.kycorn.com) is fun and informative. We provide the materials if you will provide the kids -- the maze and the hayclimb will definitely provide the fun. We ask that you bring one chaperone per each 10 children. The group rate includes the maze, one hayride plus a hotdog, chips and drink for only $7.50.

 

Click here to get a Group Reservation form

Click here to get a School Reservation form

 

 

Directions to the Carter County Fairgrounds and the Corn Maze

The only tricky part is the actual entrance to the fairgrounds which is a turn downhill off of US 60. It is located at the end of the US60 and I-64 overpass bridge. 

From the West on I-64: Take I-64 to the Grayson exit (172). Turn right onto Routes 1 & 7 (Carol Malone Blvd.) and drive into Grayson. Take a right onto US 60 (Main Street).  Proceed through town approximately 2 miles and begin watching for Fairgrounds entry on your left. The entrance will be downhill immediately before US 60 crosses I-64. 

From the East on I-64: Take I-64 to the Grayson exit (172). Turn left onto Routes 1 & 7 (Carol Malone Blvd.) and drive into Grayson. Take a right onto US 60 (Main Street).  Proceed through town approximately 2 miles and begin watching for Fairgrounds entry on your left. The entrance will be downhill immediately before US 60 crosses I-64. 

From the West on US 60: Follow US 60 into Carter County. As you near Grayson, US 60 will run parallel with I-64 for a short way. As soon as US 60 crosses I-64, be prepared to turn right (at end of overpass bridge) down into the fairgrounds.

From the East on US 60: Follow US 60 into Carter County. US 60 is Grayson's Main Street. Follow US 60 through Grayson and to the west approximately 2 miles. Begin watching for Fairgrounds entry on your left. The entrance will be downhill immediately BEFORE US 60 crosses I-64. 

From the North on Route 1: Follow Route 1 into Grayson. Route 1/7 (Carol Malone Blvd.) will lead you to an intersection with US 60. Take a right onto US 60 (Main Street).  Proceed through town approximately 2 miles and begin watching for Fairgrounds entry on your left. The entrance will be downhill immediately before US 60 crosses I-64. 

From the South on Route 1: Follow Route 1 into Grayson. Route 1/7 (Carol Malone Blvd.) will lead you to an intersection with US 60. Take a left onto US 60 (Main Street).  Proceed through town approximately 2 miles and begin watching for Fairgrounds entry on your left. The entrance will be downhill immediately BEFORE US 60 crosses I-64.  

From the North on AA Highway (9): Follow AA Highway (9) to Grayson. Turn right onto Route 1/7 (Carol Malone Blvd.) and drive into Grayson. Watch for an iintersection with US 60. Take a right onto US 60 (Main Street).  Proceed through town approximately 2 miles and begin watching for Fairgrounds entry on your left. The entrance will be downhill immediately before US 60 crosses I-64. 

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Carter County Fair • P.O. Box 125 • Grayson, KY 41143

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