Although Lumsden’s Happy Hollow Corn Maze itself is lively and full of life with children and parents running around, the stalks themselves are dull and limping.

The drought that affected the Lumsden area, as well as the majority of Saskatchewan this summer affected Happy Hollow’s crops. Without rain, the quality of the maze suffers. Linely Schaefer, an owner, simply says you must “get your maze in” and “pray for rain.”

Regina singer Rob Eddy who provides live entertainment nodded along in agreement: “plant and pray,” he said.

The theme this year is “save the bees”, a message spelled out by the maze itself. Celine Holloway, a Happy Hollow worker and local beekeeper, helped organize this year’s theme, along with Schaefer.

Schaefer wants the maze to be centered around environmental and educational themes. In the past they’ve had themes such as owls, Canada 150, and a tribute to the Lumsden Fire Department. A spring fire in 2019 would have ruined crops for that coming fall had it not been for the Fire Department, which led Schaefer to devote a maze to them. 

Holloway says she was very eager for this year’s theme because “we need to support our pollinators now.” She owns bees about five miles from Happy Hollow and is a part of a bee club with 125 members.

Selling her honey here helps educate customers about bees, along with the importance of shopping locally. Holloway highlights the importance,  stating that by shopping from local businesses, “you know a bit more about the product that you’re getting, I can tell people where the bees are being raised.”

Happy Hollow has many attractions that make it unique. Although it is one of the smaller mazes in Saskatchewan at the entire land being about five acres, people come from all over Canada for their various activities. According to manager Jill Farell, they’ve “had people come from B.C., Quebec, and further places in Saskatchewan.”

The themed maze has guided questions to help customers complete it. By answering the questions right that are displayed on posts throughout the maze, people will find the correct path. The questions are related to the theme, or about topics such as pop culture, Halloween or comedic questions.

Other attractions include photo booths, hiking trails, live music, tractor rides and a hay slide. There’s also a jumping pillow, an air filled pillow installed in the ground for children to jump on. It is one of two in the entire province. The corn box, another unique feature, is a sandbox filled with corn instead of sand. It is something Happy Hollow features; Farrell says she has “never seen a corn box before.”

The live music, mainly performed by Eddy, is another unique asset. Schaefer describes Eddy as “the best kept secret in Regina.” Their outdoor stage hosts other performers such as magicians and various singers.

Schaefer’s main pride is that Happy Hollow is for all. He described it as “multigenerational.” He explains that “the whole goal is to provide value entertainment for the entire family, all three generations.” Schaefer says that families that come back each year bring him the most joy.