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York Races 2023 season

Maze the force be with you: York Maze launches Star Wars spectacular

Fri 14 Jul 2017 @ 4:49pm - Things to do
YorkMix

Can you feel the force? Photographs: Richard McDougall

It’s not every day that the full might of the Empire descends on Elvington.

But strange incidents seem to happen at this time of year. So the sight of Darth Vader and assorted galactic stormtroopers invading a cornfield south of York did not induce panic in the locals.

York Maze

Elvington Lane (B1228), York, YO19 5LT, just off the A1079 Hull Road

Open daily from Sat July 15 to Mon Sept 4 @ 10am-6.30pm

£13.50-£15.50

More details

After all Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2D2 were there to battle the dark side.

They were all on hand to launch the York Maze 2017 – which is marking the 40th anniversary of Star Wars.

Farmer Tom Pearcy, the man in charge of the giant maize maze, has fond childhood memories of seeing Luke and the gang when the movie burst onto our screens in 1977.

So he jumped at the chance of dressing up as Han Solo and creating a Star Wars design in his 15-acre field.

Video tours of the maze

York Theatre Royal
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Cast of characters

This year’s design: Darth Vader, the Death star, C-3PO, Han Solo and Chewbacca

“There are so many iconic characters featured in the movies, but there just isn’t space in my maize field to feature them all,” Tom said.

“One of the hardest decisions in designing the maze, was who to leave out.”

In the end Darth, C-3PO, Han and Chewy feature in the finished maze. The same size as eight football pitches, it is one of the biggest mazes in the world.

The York Maze Star Wars 40th Anniversary tribute maze is open for visitors to explore this summer from Saturday (July 15) to Monday, September 4, when the maize will be harvested and fed to the cows.

An aerial view approaching the maze

Say cheese…
The old gang (and farmer Tom Tom Pearcy as Han Solo)

Previous amazing mazes

The York Maze was first launched in 2002. Here are all the designs…

2002 Viking Longship
2003 Spiders Web
2004 Flying Scotsman
2005 Big Ben
2006 Star Trek
2007 James Bond
2008 Statue of Liberty
2009 Astronaut
2010 Spitfire
2011 Harry Potter
2012 Mayan God of Corn
2013 Dalek & Doctor Who
2014 Yorkshiremen – Brian Blessed, Geoff Boycott & Jeremy Clarkson
2015 Thunderbird 2
2016 Roald Dahl characters
‘I’m quite lost, Master Luke’
Star line up
A day out for the Empire and friends
Chewy trouble

There have been cutbacks in the Empire

Chillin’ at York Maze
Is that Neil Armstrong in the background?
Uh-oh…
Storming it
Ready for battle
So that’s what C-3PO looks like when he’s relaxing
You’ve been framed
Not a sight you see in Elvington every day
The might of the Empire takes on some crows
Pilot of the future
On contemplative mood
Super troopers
Time to bale
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Fri 14 Jul, 2017

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