What Cherry Crest Adventure Farm does

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is a family-owned agritourism destination located on a 25-acre site at 150 Cherry Hill Road, Ronks, in Pennsylvania's Lancaster County. The property dates to the early 1700s; Jack and Donna Coleman acquired it in 1987 as a dairy and crop operation and launched the agri-tainment business in 1996 with the first Amazing Maize Maze. The farm now operates seasonally from May through November, offering more than 70 attractions including the 5-acre interactive Amazing Maize Maze (with nearly 2.5 miles of paths, scenic bridges, three difficulty levels, and a Flashlight Maze variant), giant slides, jump pillows, pedal carts, animal encounters, wagon rides, a 6-acre sunflower field (22 varieties) plus zinnias, pumpkins, and popcorn U-Pick, and a portfolio of seasonal festivals.

The core product architecture is the annually refreshed corn maze, designed by Don Frantz and the American Maze Company using a gameboard-and-clue system ('Kernels of Knowledge') that supports three difficulty tiers. The farm layers ten on-site food venues (Country Kitchen, The Creamery, Donut Shop, Barn & Grill, Pizza and Pop, Brew & Moo, Kettle Corn & Lemonade Stands, Grandma's Kitchen, and a Grilled Cheese Wagon), four retail stores (General Store, Trading Post, Sweet Shop, Stuffin' Stable, plus a Highland Boutique), and partner-operated winery, brewery, and cidery tastings on festival dates.

The business model is direct-to-consumer with tiered seasonal pricing (Early Season $20.95 online / $27.95 gate; Summer $25.95 / $32.95; Fall Saturday peaks $33.95 online / $40.95 gate), annual season passes ($96.95 individual, $324.95 family), group discounts ($2 off for 20+), private event rentals ($775–$1,075/hour for up to 300 guests), party packages ($236–$604), summer camps and field trips ($15–$17/student), and premium animal encounters ($35.99–$45.99). Ancillary revenue is generated through per-transaction F&B and retail sales, party barn and campfire rentals ($50–$300; $65–$140), and commission arrangements with on-site beverage partners (Britain Hill Winery, Raney Cellars Brewing, Bespoke Brewing, Shady Rooster Craft Cider). Tickets are sold via the TicketSpice platform and at the gate; the property is cashless.

Name

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm

Legal name

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm

Website

https://cherrycrestfarm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Family-owned agritourism destination in Lancaster County, PA, operating a 25-acre adventure farm featuring the award-winning Amazing Maize Maze, 70+ activities, seasonal festivals, food and retail venues, and educational and group programs serving families, schools, and private events from May through November.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agritourism & Family Entertainment

NAICS

Amusement and Theme Parks (71311), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Park Equipment & Safety Services (Inspection, Training, Rescue) (THAAACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm-to-Table & Agritourism Dining Experiences (Farm Visits, Harvest Meals) (THAJAGAK), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG), Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development) (THAAAAAO)

Keywords

• Agritourism destination
• Corn maze attractions
• Seasonal family entertainment
• U-pick farm experiences
• Farm-based recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ronks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: One-time admission fees granting access to 70+ farm fun activities and the Amazing Maize Maze. Priced by season (Early Season, Summer, Fall) and day of week (Weekday, Saturday), with online pre-purchase discounts vs. at-gate pricing.
2. Season Passes: Full Season Pass ($96.95 online) for one person with unlimited admission, 15% off food and retail purchases, and Season Pass Sneak Peek Event access. Family Membership ($324.95 online) for four people with three assigned passes and one flex pass, plus first-visit coupons.
3. Food and Beverage Sales: On-site food venues including The Country Kitchen (burgers, sandwiches, fries), The Creamery (ice cream, milkshakes), Donut Shop (cider donuts, apple cider), Kettle Corn & Lemonade Stands, Brew & Moo (specialty coffee), Pizza and Pop, The Barn & Grill, Grandma's Kitchen, and Grilled Cheese Wagon. Multiple drink and food options across the farm generate per-transaction revenue.
4. Retail / Gift Shop Sales: Four retail locations: General Store (apparel, merchandise, home decor, local foods), Trading Post (gem mining, souvenirs), Sweet Shop (fudge, chocolates, candy), and Stuffin' Stable (build-your-own plush animals). Shaggy Chic Highland Boutique sells Highland cow-themed merchandise during events.
5. Private Event Rentals: Private openings for up to 300 guests at hourly rates ($775–$1,075/hour depending on attractions included), Party Barn and Picnic Area rentals ($50–$300 depending on venue and day), Campfire site rentals ($65–$140), and Party Packages ($236–$604 for Farmtastic, Barnyard Blast, and A-maze-ing packages).
6. Educational Programs: Revenue from summer camps ($17/person), field trips (Tuesday/Wednesday at $15/student, Thursday at $17/student), and homeschool days ($17/student and immediate family). Includes educational classes (Milk, Bees, Crops, Wagon Tour) and chaperone ratios.
7. Animal Encounter Experiences: Premium add-on animal encounter experiences: Mini Highland Calves at $45.99/person, Valais Blacknose Sheep at $40.99/person, and Goat Cuddling at $35.99/person. These require farm admission in addition to the encounter ticket.
8. Winery, Brewery & Cidery Commissions: Local winery (Britain Hill Winery), breweries (Raney Cellars Brewing, Bespoke Brewing), and cidery (Shady Rooster Craft Cider) operate on-site on select festival dates. Cherry Crest earns commission or revenue share from these beverage partners during their scheduled visits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm operates a 25-acre seasonal agritourism destination centered on the Amazing Maize Maze and 70+ farm fun activities (animal encounters, slides, jump pillows, wagon rides, gem mining, play areas). The farm sells tiered general admission by season, season passes, food and beverage concessions, retail merchandise, U-pick flower and pumpkin experiences, reservation-based animal encounters, private event and campfire rentals, and educational programs (summer camps, field trips, homeschool days). Additional revenue comes from commissions on on-site winery, brewery, and cidery partners during festivals.

Product overview

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is a family-owned agritourism destination offering a unified portfolio of seasonal entertainment experiences. The core product is the award-winning Amazing Maize Maze, a 5-acre interactive corn maze complemented by over 70 farm fun attractions including animal encounters, play areas, slides, and jump pillows. The farm operates seasonal food venues (Country Kitchen, Creamery, Donut Shop, Barn & Grill, Pizza and Pop, and specialty wagons) and retail shops (General Store, Trading Post, Sweet Shop, Stuffin' Stable, and Shaggy Chic Highland Boutique). Events include festivals, live music, fireworks, and educational programs. The business offers group bookings, team building, party rentals, campfire rentals, and season passes for revenue diversification. The operation spans Early Season (May-June), Summer (July-early September), and Fall (mid-September through early November), with the 2026 theme celebrating America's 250th anniversary (Let Freedom Ring).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Amazing Maize Maze A 5-acre interactive corn maze spanning nearly 2.5 miles of paths with scenic bridges, color-coded clue stations (yellow/easy, orange/intermediate, red/difficult), and 'Kernels of Knowledge' educational checkpoints. The design is changed annually by Don Frantz / American Maze Company and is included with general admission. Nominated multiple times for #1 Corn Maze in America by USA Today 10Best, winning in 2020.
• Flashlight Maze An evening corn maze experience where visitors navigate the same 5-acre Amazing Maize Maze layout in darkness using their own flashlights, providing a heightened-challenge variant beyond daytime visits on select evenings.
• Animal Encounters Reservation-based, hands-on animal experiences including Mini Highland Calves ($45.99/person), Valais Blacknose Sheep ($40.99/person), and Goat Cuddling ($35.99/person). Each encounter requires farm admission in addition to the per-person encounter fee.
• U-Pick Experiences Pick-your-own experiences including a 6-acre sunflower field (22 varieties), a zinnia field (12 varieties), a pumpkin patch, and a popcorn field, available seasonally from August through October with staggered plantings.
• Festival Events Seasonal festival programming including Baby Animal Festival (May-June), Sweet Summer Festival (July 4), Highland Cow Festival (July 18), Flower Festival (Sept 5), Hometown Heroes Festival (Sept 19), Cider Donut Fall Festival (Sept 26), and Pumpkin Madness (Nov 7), driving repeat visitation.
• Educational Programs (Summer Camps, Field Trips, Homeschool Days) Summer camps ($17/person), Tuesday/Wednesday field trips at $15/student, Thursday field trips at $17/student, and homeschool days at $17/student with immediate family, including educational classes on milk, bees, crops, and wagon tours.
• Season Passes and Family Memberships Annual Full Season Pass ($96.95 online) for one person providing unlimited admission, 15% off food and retail purchases, and Season Pass Sneak Peek Event access. Family Membership ($324.95 online) for four people with three assigned passes plus one flex pass, 15% off food/retail, and first-visit coupons.
• Group Bookings Group discount tickets ($2 off per attendee for groups of 20+) requiring mandatory online pre-purchase, available for youth groups, churches, sports teams, family reunions, and corporate outings.
• Private Event and Party Rentals Private venue openings for up to 300 guests at $775-$1,075/hour, party barn and picnic area rentals ($50-$300), and party packages: Farmtastic ($236-$366), Barnyard Blast ($370-$500), and A-maze-ing ($474-$604).
• Campfire Rentals Fall season campfire site rentals with optional canopy, including West End Party Barn with campfire package and hot dog/s'mores add-ons. Without canopy $65 Friday/$125 Saturday; with canopy $80 Friday/$140 Saturday (Sept 19-Nov 7).
• On-Site Food and Beverage Venues Multiple point-of-sale food and drink venues including The Country Kitchen (burgers, sandwiches, fries), The Creamery (ice cream, milkshakes, cider donut sundaes), Donut Shop (cider donuts, apple cider, coffee), The Barn & Grill (fried chicken, pulled pork), Kettle Corn & Lemonade Stands, Brew & Moo (specialty coffee), Pizza and Pop, Grandma's Kitchen, and Grilled Cheese Wagon.
• Retail Shops Four retail locations selling farm-themed merchandise, gifts, and confectionery: General Store (apparel, home decor, local foods), Trading Post (gem mining, souvenirs, gemstones), Sweet Shop (fudge, chocolates, candy, jams), and Stuffin' Stable (build-your-own plush animals), plus the Shaggy Chic Highland Boutique for event merchandise.
• Live Music and Entertainment Daily on-farm entertainment including Pig Races, Butter Making demonstrations, Escape Room (summer), and scheduled live music performances from regional artists throughout the operating season.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70+ farm activities included in general admission
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Britain Hill Venue and VineyardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritain Hill Venue and Vineyard, owned by Debbie Casson, is the first winery in the Little Britain area of Quarryville, PA. They operate on-site at Cherry Crest on July 4, July 18, and every Saturday from September 5 through November 7, serving wine to adult visitors as part of the farm's adult beverage offerings during festivals and weekends.
• Raney Cellars BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRaney Cellars Brewing, based in Millersville, PA, operates on-site at Cherry Crest on select festival dates (Sept 5 & 19, Oct 10, 17 & 31, Nov 7), bringing their craft beer and barrel aging program to the farm's adult beverage lineup.
• Bespoke BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBespoke Brewing, owned by Ryan and Janae Dagen and operated by Head Brewer Jon Sager, operates on multiple dates at Cherry Crest (May 30, June 6, July 4 & 18, Sept 12 & 26, Oct 3 & 24, Nov 7, plus Fridays Oct 2–Nov 6), offering small-batch handcrafted seasonal beers.
• Shady Rooster Craft CidercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShady Rooster Craft Cider, run by Jon and Bailey, brings their cider-making products to Cherry Crest on the same schedule as Bespoke Brewing, expanding the cidery options for adult visitors at the farm.
• Don Frantz / American Maze CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDon Frantz, a former Disney Broadway producer, and the American Maze Company design the farm's annual maze. Each year a unique theme and aerial design are created, applying Frantz's entertainment industry expertise to agricultural maze architecture. The partnership has produced maze designs continuously since 1996.
• WJTL RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerWJTL, a local Christian radio station, co-hosts the annual WJTL Music Fest at Cherry Crest (May 16, 2026), with a separate concert ticket required. The partnership leverages WJTL's listener base as a marketing channel for farm visitation and co-brands the event.
• Highland Hideaway (Vision Board Stays)minorOthersHighland Hideaway, a lodging partner listed on the farm's reservations page, provides on-farm and nearby accommodation options for visitors traveling from longer distances, extending the stay duration and visitor experience.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cornbelly's: LeFave Entertainment's multi-location corn maze and fall festival brand in Utah, featuring multiple Utah venues, a corn maze, slides, and food. Comparable corn-maze-anchored, festival-driven agritourism model with the additional proof point of multi-site scaling.
• Carter Mountain Orchard: Charlottesville, VA orchard and agritourism destination offering pick-your-own fruit, a country store, bakery, hard cider, and seasonal events. Comparable Mid-Atlantic agritourism operator with on-site F&B and retail monetization.
• Stokoe Farm: Scottsville, NY family farm with a 7+ acre corn maze, fall festivals, pumpkin patch, and family activities. Closely mirrors Cherry Crest's corn-maze-anchored, festival-driven agritourism model in a neighboring state.
• Sauchuk Farm: Plympton, MA corn maze and pumpkin patch operator with seasonal fall events, school field trips, and family attractions. Comparable seasonal agritourism destination with similar pricing and event programming.
• Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm: Homer Glen, IL pumpkin farm and fall festival with a corn maze, pig races, animal barnyard, and family rides. Comparable seasonal, family-anchored agritourism business with similar attractions and demographic.
• Huber's Orchard & Winery: Borden, IN family-owned farm, winery, and farm market with seasonal events, U-pick, and family activities. Comparable multi-generational farm with on-site adult beverage, retail, and agritourism programming.
• Treworgy Family Orchards: Levant, ME family orchard with a corn maze, pick-your-own fruit, farm store, and seasonal festivals. Comparable family-run seasonal agritourism operator with corn maze as a signature attraction.
• Linvilla Orchards: Media, PA-based family farm offering pick-your-own fruit, seasonal festivals, a farm market, bakery, garden center, and family activities. Directly comparable as a Mid-Atlantic agritourism destination competing for the same regional day-trip audience.

Broad incumbents

• Dutch Wonderland: Lancaster, PA family amusement park. Operates in the same regional family-entertainment market as Cherry Crest with overlapping audience but is a multi-ride/theme-park incumbent rather than an agritourism specialist.

Regional players

• Kitchen Kettle Village: Intercourse, PA shopping and dining destination in the heart of Lancaster County's Amish tourism corridor. Adjacent regional tourism draw that competes for the same Mid-Atlantic visitor day-trip spend, though with a retail/restaurant (not adventure farm) focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cherry-valley-farm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cherry Crest Adventure Farm