THE FIRST DAY OF FALL... can make many feelings burble up, but count on nostalgic emotions to reign supreme. We think back to our childhoods, to starting school for the first time, to Halloweens long past and carving jack o'lanterns and haunted houses and the other sweet staples of September and October. Those aren't memories that need to be left in the long-ago past, however; there are still places that pop up with the express purpose of going Full Autumn, the better to serve our nostalgic, family-sweet longings. Big Horse Corn Maze & Harvest Festival in Temecula is one such spot, and not only does it have the maze seen in its name, but it offers a host of other tried-and-true to-dos that can easily fill out a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon.
CORN BOXES... are one such cute to-do -- yes, it is a box of corn that kids play in, which is about as opposite-y as one can get from our age of electronics -- but there are others like a corn cannon and pillow jump. Pig races, gem mining, gold panning, and a chance to churn butter are all on the docket, too, in addition to a host of outdoorsy, burn-off-some-happy-energy happenings (soccer kick, baseball swing).
AS FOR THE PUMPKINS? There shall be pumpkins, many pumpkins, at the Pumpkin Patch. But to carve sooner than later? That's always the question, though we suspect "later" has a way of winning out. Lots of cameras are out as wee ones, toddlers and babies, get their snapshots taken in the bright orange sea of squashes. Opening date for Big Horse is Saturday, Oct. 3 and it all wraps up on Halloween day. Oh, and depending upon the weekend you go, if you go on a weekend day, there may be a themed event, like a car show or farm day. Want to know more? Follow the corn trail this way.
