Eckert’s Millstadt Farm to open Corn Maze Sept. 6, partnering with The Backstoppers

First Responders Weekend Celebration set for Sept. 13-14, with community events and free admission for first responders

Eckert’s Millstadt Farm (2719 Eckert Orchard Lane) will unveil its annual corn maze to the public on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Designed in partnership with The BackStoppers, a St. Louis‑based nonprofit that provides financial and emotional support to families of first responders killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty, the maze pays tribute to those who serve and protect.

The corn maze will be open to the public Fridays through Sundays through Nov. 1. Access is included with general admission tickets, available through Eckert’s website.

A special First Responders Weekend celebration, in collaboration with The BackStoppers, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. BackStoppers representatives will be onsite with a tent to share information about their mission and hand out commemorative stickers. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., families can enjoy Touch the Truck activities featuring interactive displays from:

• Villa Hills/Millstadt Fire Department

• Medstar ambulances

• An Arch Helicopter medical chopper

• An armored vehicle from the Emergency Response Team of St. Louis (SWAT)

In gratitude for their service, all first responders with valid ID will receive free admission to the farm on Sept. 13 and 14.

“Designing our corn maze with The BackStoppers’ logo and spirit was our way of honoring the extraordinary commitment of first responders and supporting an organization that strengthens their families when tragedy strikes,” said Chris Eckert, president of Eckert’s Farm.

In addition to the corn maze opening, Eckert’s is celebrating the start of AppleFest on Saturday, Sept. 6, with festivities taking place every weekend in September. AppleFest includes wagon rides, live entertainment, festival foods, giant slides and pig races, and more.

Apple-picking season is now underway, and guests can purchase field access passes for Pick-Your-Own Apples at the farm or online. The Millstadt farm is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

For more information, visit the website and follow along on social media (Facebook and Instagram).

 

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About Eckert’s:

Eckert’s Inc. is the largest family-owned and operated pick-your-own orchard in the United States. Originally established as a farm and simple roadside stand in Illinois, the Eckert family now owns and operates farming, entertainment and retail entities in Belleville, Grafton and Millstadt, Ill., as well as most recently, Versailles, Ky. For a century, Eckert’s has been a local source for agricultural products including asparagus, beets, zucchini, kale, squash, onions and peppers, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, apples and pumpkins, and more. Guests of Eckert’s farms get to experience the farming practices firsthand with the farms’ pick-your-own produce experiences during growing seasons.  Today, Eckert’s offers year-round programming for all at their farms and Country Store. For more information, visit www.eckerts.com  Follow on social media @eckertfarms on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Pinterest.