Trick or Treat & Costume Contest at the MAiZE at Little Darby Creek

The MAiZE at Little Darby Creek is hosting its Trick or Treat and Costume Contest on Sunday, October 25, and it's one of those fall days that works better if you plan to stay a while. Trick-or-treating runs from 2 PM to 3 PM, and the costume contest kicks off right after at 3 PM. Both are included with regular admission, so you don't have to pay extra for either.

If you've never been, the MAiZE is a 160-acre family farm in Union County, run by the Rausch family for six generations. It's been a fall destination since it opened in 2002, and this season marks its 24th year. The main draw is an 8-acre corn maze, and there's a 6-acre pumpkin patch to go with it. Beyond those, the farm has more than 30 play attractions—jumping pillows, a low ropes course, laser tag, paintball, and a petting zoo. If you're looking for something a bit darker, there's the Field of Fright haunted corn maze and barn. Every Saturday evening in October, they also have live music.

Since the trick-or-treating and the contest happen back-to-back in the afternoon, it's easy to make a full day of it. You can spend the morning in the maze and at the pumpkin patch, hit the play attractions, and then settle in for the costume festivities. The whole thing is at 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

The season runs through November 2, and it closes with a Giant Pumpkin Smash, where a giant pumpkin is dropped onto a car and visitors can win OSU football and Blue Jackets tickets. If you're planning to visit for the costume contest, you've still got plenty of time to see the rest of the farm before the season wraps up.