Alexandra Martin | Entertainment Editor
Fall in the Pacific Northwest usually means one thing to the community: long, cold, rainy days spent inside. An exorbitant amount of time can pass simply daydreaming of dead fall leaves crunching underfoot, sipping on hot apple cider and reminiscing of those days that seem like yesterday that were devoted to complaining about the sweaty, smoky and unforgiving summer season.
Well, fall is here; the autumnal breeze rips through campus like a hot knife through butter, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up on outdoor activities. Airlie Hills Harvest Festival is in full swing until the end of October, and while the list of goings-on isn’t endless, at least it’s something other than binge-watching Netflix and moping.
First thing’s first: the corn maze. If you were lucky enough to grow up in an area that had a corn maze during the fall, then you know what I’m talking about. Why is wandering around a bunch of corn and getting lost so enjoyable? Is it the riddles scattered along the way, dropping hints of which direction to go? Maybe it’s the glow-sticks? I’m not sure. There is no science to answer that question. Trust me, I googled it. But one thing I do know without having to turn to the internet for answers: the Airlie Hills corn maze is awesome.
Next, the pumpkin patch. With over 30 different varieties of pumpkins, this is the place to find the perfect gourd to carve up and shove a tea light candle inside, in the name of Halloween. Maybe pumpkin carving isn’t your thing — that’s okay. There are little hay bales, miniature pumpkins, ornamental corn and mums to add a little pizzazz to your dorm room.
Still not turned on by the corn maze or décor? Well, there are indoor slides, a full menu of food and beverage items, pedal-karts and farm animals; this place actually has something for everyone.
Airlie Hills Harvest Festival is open Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until the end of October. After that, it’s back indoors until summer.
Contact the author at journalentertainment@wou.edu
