GREAT VALLEY, N.Y. — After Snoopy went over really well last year as Pumpkinville’s corn maze character, the Great Valley fall destination turned again this year to Hollywood for Curious George, who is celebrating his 75th anniversary.
Universal Pictures is celebrating with a Curious George movie and partnering with a limited number of venues like Pumpkinville to help promote it.
Pumpkinville, on Sugartown Road in Great Valley, opens for its 49th season on Sept. 16, said Dan Pawlowski, who owns and runs Pumpkinville with his wife Diane.
They’re on their 22nd year as Pumpkinville hosts at its current location. The Pawlowskis purchased Pumpkinville from founders Joseph and Helen Holloran, who started it 49 years ago nearby on Route 98.
Why Curious George for the corn maze this year? “It’s his 75th anniversary this year and he’s popular with young kids,” Pawlowski said. “Their parents know about him. It seems this will be as big as Snoopy.”
The maze is 6 acres and is sponsored by WYRK Radio.
Pawlowski said the Curious George character will appear two weekends, Sept. 23 and 24, and Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Last year Snoopy, who was celebrating his 50th anniverary with Peanuts, appeared for two weekends one day each. Twice as many days reduces the chance that rain would cut into the entire Curious George character promotion. The maze will be a great way to to promote the Universal Studio character’s 75th anniversary.
“It’s all about fun,” Pawlowski stated. “That’s what we’re here for, to keep them coming back.”
There are a few new things at Pumpkinville everybody will enjoy, including a new Goat Walk and apple blasters that are 10 times as much fun as the old corn cannons, according to Pawlowski.
“The targets are cool too,” he said. “You’ve got to see them.”
The Pawlowskis already have some ideas about how to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pumpkinville next year. “We’re counting down to the big 50,” he said. “We’ll get some cool stuff for that, too,”
He added this year’s pumpkin crop is “looking pretty darn good.”
“We need more hot days like this,” Pawlowski said. “We’re not going to be picking for another three weeks.”
Pumpkinville will offer Curious George-themed activities throughout their six-week season. Curious George merchandise will also be available in the gift shop.
The Curious George character first appeared in book form in the early 1940s when the monkey is found in Africa by a “man in a yellow hat” who brings him to “the big city” to live with him. The stories have been made for television and movies, with the latest Curious George movie in pre-production with director and writer Andrew Adamson, known for his direction of Shrek.
Pumpkinville is a 200-acre, working, pumpkin farm in Great Valley that features dozens of attractions for kids of all ages including an authentic 1870s working cider mill.
And don’t forget to try their pumpkin donuts.
