Party in a maize maze!

[Starmummy]

Hi. DS is having his 11th birthday party at our local maize maze. I have a number of questions if you could help please?
Firstly do you think its better to have it on Friday night 6 till 8 - outside in the oncoming dark so they can play with torches whilst they follow the maize - followed by a tracor ride and burgers/hotdogs supplied by the farm.
Or just have it on saturday afternoon when it will be open to other people as well? Still with the tractor ride and same food etc.
The real problem I have is that at school on the same day there is a picnic after school for everyone to join in and I think the children will maybe be too tired? How do you think your DC's would feel?
Also I am going to make the cake with the pattern of the maze on top and give the torches instead of party bags. Is this a good idea? Finally if you're still with me how wet would it be before you didnt turn up? Just trying to anticipate the worst case scenario.
Oop's one more thing - any ideas for invitations? We have always been really creative in the past - like a message in a bottle for the pirate party, sunglasses for the pool party invites etc, but this time I am lost for ideas.

Any ideas welcome. Thanks to all you MN'ers

[southeastastra]

i would have it in the evening, sounds like fun and they'd love it. also it will be on a friday night. you could make little flags for the invitations, like the ones used in the maze.

[Katymac]

A corn dolly with the invite attached?
Mini tractors?
One of those little ball bearing mazes?

We'd go however wet it was
Love the torches

What about Sunday - or is the maze closed...or even Sat evening

[janeite]

Sounds fab! I think ELC sell packs of maize in lots of colours for making collages etc - but Katymac's corn dolly idea is brill!

Do you have to have it on the same day as the picnic? The evening sounds great, but it would be a pity if they were all too tired. Could you do it on the Saturday?

Think the farm should do Corn on the cob too!!!

This sounds SUCH a cool party - have fun!

[Marina]

What a brilliant idea, we love maize mazes
I would go for the Saturday, a bit reluctantly, but I reckon they will all be too tired after the picnic to do justice to such a great party.
Corn dollies sounds really original but the maize stuff from ELC might work out cheaper

[Starmummy]

Oh wow! I knew I could rely on MN'ers to give it to me straight.
Corn dollies would be fab but maybe too expensive for 25!!! Love the ideas of small mazes, also the flags - I could check out the colour she has different ones each year.
I think Saturday night will be best, and I will ask about corn on the cob, that would be cool.

Thanks very much

[Katymac]

can you get some straw and weave them?

It's only plaiting - they don't have to be authentic (anyway when I google them I get actual dolls rather than twists)

[Starmummy]

That would be cool, I shall make it my mission tomorrow.DS is away with granparents till Thursday so I shall practice so I know what to do then we can make them together. I might even give them little flags to carry with the details on. I'm getting really excited now....