Fun at the Maze

The Carter County Fair

Fun at the Maze

It's a family-friendly event where autumn meets the country and simple pleasures are the best.

Did you know that this project is a partnership between three groups? As you can see, it's a lot of work to get ready for such a large scale event. That's why the West Carter FFA, East Carter FFA and the Carter County Fair Board teamed up to make it happen. The skills, ideas, manpower and energy of each of these groups has enabled this project to get up and running. You'll see members of all of the groups working over the seven week period. Each offered what they could to the project. If they could run tractors, cut cornfields, map out designs, paint signs, cook hot-dogs, make foddershocks, harvest pumpkins, bring a wagon, help sell tickets --- whatever! Each offered help and all the parts have co-ordinated into the full-scale project you see before you.

We hope you will take a minute to tell our volunteers what you think of the project during your visit. All are donating their time and efforts to the project and would love to hear your comments.

Huge Thanks to those who have helped make all these neat things possible!

This project has taken literally hundreds of hours of work and the cooperation of dozens of volunteers to make it happen. There is no way the Corn Maze Crew could possibly list all those whose participation have enabled this event to succeed. That doesn't mean that those contributions aren't greatly appreciated.

Our business partners in the community have assisted, too. Farmers Machinery has been gracious enough to provide the tractor that pulls the hayrides. Grayson Rural Electric Cooperative Company played a big part in making the barn area comfortable. McDonald's of Olive Hill helped put us in touch with the best burgers. Clearcreek Hardwoods has given us the logs for our campfire area. We appreciate each for supporting the plan to bring more activity and entertainment to Carter County. THANK YOU, one and ALL!

The big blue barn is the perfect spot to relax and enjoy lunch at the maze. There's shade, great picnic tables and you are just a stroll away from whatever wonderful food is being prepared in the concessions area.

Here goes yet another group of brave explorers off through the maze. Hint to those who haven't yet tried to master the cornfield: watch for the numbered stations. Find 1 - 12 in order and you've mastered the maze!

Forget about playstations and stuff with wires and batteries -- the old fashioned games are the best. You're welcome to sit and play a round or two at the Carter County Corn Maze.

Tickets for the day maze are only $5 and are available at our concession stand. That's where you can get the tastiest hot-dogs and best barbecues, too. Cold drinks and snack round out the goodies on the menu.

Sugar cane is fed through the grinder to render it into juice. The juice will be cooked to create sorghum.

Once the sugar cane has been squeezed, the juice is boiled to a concentrate which promotes the crystallization of the sugar. Here you see FFA members working the liquid in the cooker over the firebox.

On the weekends when the Petting Zoo is available, you can get up close and personal with our barnyard friends. Here's another happy encounter with our miniature donkey. Check the main schedule to see which weekends will feature the petting zoo.

"Come on, Dad! Take our picture!" The Hay Bale mountain makes a great place to get the whole crew together for a snapshot.

Cornhole games are set up and just waiting for you. (For those who haven't discovered this variation on horseshoes, it's a tossing game with bags of corn aimed at a board. The object is to get all your bags in the target hole and keep your opponent from doing the same. It's strategy, it's luck, it's fun!

Did we mention the beautiful pumpkins we have for sale? Yup. Lots of 'em. Little ones $2, medium size $4, and big old giant ones for only $6. The mediums would make perfect jack o'lanterns.

You can find all your fall decorations here at the Corn Maze. From foddershocks to pumpkins, from gourds to bundles of indian corn -- you can get set for autumn and have money left over to visit the maze! It's worth a visit to the barn to see all the great things that were raised right here on the fairgrounds by East and West Carter FFA members and the fair board. Each dollar spent here goes to assist those groups with their activities.

The sorghum mill is mule-powered as it was before the advent of motors. Our production is true to the old, time honored way that our grandparents produced sorgum on the family farm.

Once the cooking process has completed, the now thickening sorghum molasses is packaged and ready for sale. The large jar -- perfect for cooking and many breakfasts -- costs $10. The small squeeze bottle, $5, is all set for use on your biscuits.

Interested in bringing a group to the maze? Click below to get a form that details how best to proceed. Call 606-474-7263 between 9am and 5 pm through the workweek and get your group on the Maze calendar. We need to know when to expect you so we and the concession stand can be ready! Please give us as much notice as you can -- a week ahead would be nice.

Click here for a Group Reservation Form