In early 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic forced a nationwide shutdown for most businesses. Buford Corn Maze President Rodney Miller was skeptical whether opening for the popular fall corn maze season would even be possible. After consulting with Stacey Dickson, President of the Lake Lanier Convention & Visitors Bureau, she encouraged us to go forward with the season following CDC guidelines.
We developed our season theme “Acres and Acres of Socially Distant Fun” to promote a safe place for families to enjoy while socially distancing. Our team created health and safety guidelines for guests and staff members to follow. We also produced signage with fun messages encouraging social distancing and placed them throughout the park along with temperature checks and sanitizing stations.
We were surprised and encouraged by the overwhelming response from guests who traveled from miles away. Guests were so thankful for an opportunity to enjoy a safe activity outside of their homes since the state had been locked down since early March. Buford Corn Maze had a record year despite the pandemic. We credit our overall theme for the success of the season and the timeliness of our message.
