COVID-19 halts, changes New England’s fall traditions

Quintessential fall in New England will come with differences much more drastic than the changing leaf color this year.

Related: Businesses looking ahead on how to plan their coronavirus safety measures for the fall

Fall traditions like King Richards fair will not open its gates due to COVID 19.

Merriment and mead will have to wait until 2021.

The same goes for ghouls and ghosts, at least half a dozen popular haunted houses will not open this season.

Salem’s Halloween season will be a specter of years past.

Related: Salem scales back Haunted Happenings with bleak COVID outlook for fall

However, all is not lost this fall.

“Things have worked out so we’ve been able to open, and it feels great,” said Larry Davis of the Davis Farmland’s Mega Maze in Sterling.

Like the mega corn maze, Davis farm in Sterling has been able to navigate the challenges that come with COVID-19.

“Sure there are a lot of restrictions the state has put forth, but I also think in the midst of the pandemic they are necessary,” said Davis.

Davis says they have been lucky, they have plenty of social distancing space and are outside.

But there are still some changes.

“When you first arrive per state regulations you now have to only get your tickets online,” said Davis.

Visitors get a time slot to arrive and food is served with extra space.

The famous maze is now just “one way”.

“It’s very apropos for everything going on this year,” said Davis.

Getting lost for a while, a welcome getaway from so many New Englanders who have been unable to escape the reality of the coronavirus pandemic.

“They’ve been pent up for so long they are looking for something like this, its outdoors - there is good air and plenty of room for social distancing,” said Davis.

The Davis mega maze is set to open for the first time this weekend.

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