Posted on October 4, 2018.
By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The Halloween tradition of Millington and the Mid-South is a labor of love.
Jones Orchard co-owner Henry Jones said the corn and haunted mazes begin to come to life in November of the previous year. The almost year of planning, mowing, cutting, building and organizing will debut Friday at 6880 Singleton Parkway.
The Jones Orchard’s Shadowlands, Hysteria Haunted Hayride and regular Corn Maze will be on full display ready to excite and scare those daring to step into them.
“We have a responsibility to help people enjoy the holiday,” Jones said. “We look forward to it every year, too. We like showing some type of leadership and guidance for the communities.”
Jones Orchard began the haunted maze in 2005. The 2018 edition will kick off Oct. 5. Shadowlands, the walking trail through the woods and corn maze, will be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout October.
The Hysteria Haunted Hayride will operate at the same time as Shadowlands. The regular Corn Maze is open on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays during the day. The latest attraction, Zombie Paintball, is open only on Friday and Saturday.
The venue is open 7-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 7-10 p.m. Sundays. All will be open Wednesday, Oct. 31, for Halloween.
“The planning starts in the winter,” Jones noted. “We get a theme, and a company called Maze Play designs it and applies it. They cut the maze using a GPS. They cut the corn maze and haunted maze.”
The maze is formed on 10 acres of land with the haunted portion taking up half. The path is 5 feet wide, taking up several miles.
Just a few feet down the road during the day, the Jones Orchard Singleton Parkway location is selling pumpkins for carving, decorations or recipes.
The month of October is one of the busiest times for the longtime Millington business. Originally opening in 1940, Jones Orchard has built a reputation across the Mid-South for fresh fruit such as strawberries, tomatoes and peaches.
The maze became a fixture for Jones Orchard almost 15 years ago.
“We do a lot of work building it throughout the year,” Jones concluded. “We start in November of last year on the buildings. We like giving people something to do that is fun, safe and worthwhile. It’s good to get outside and enjoy this weather. And we just enjoy it too.”
For more information, call (901) 873-3150.
