With the calendar flipped to September, Ohioans are gearing up for a busy season of corn mazes, wagon rides and pumpkin patches.

Why it matters: No other Midwestern state loves its fall festivities quite like Ohio, and family farms across the Buckeye State are reaping the benefits.

State of play: Ohio leads the region in agritourism, Ideastream Public Media reports, with nearly 900 farms generating income from activities ranging from berry picking to petting zoos.

• It's a lucrative, growing industry. The number of agritourism operations in Ohio nearly tripled between 2002 and 2022, and total annual income now exceeds $30 million.

Our suggestions for fall fun ideas:

🌽 The MAiZE at Little Darby Creek

• This location is known for its gigantic corn mazes and variety of family activities.
• This year's maze celebrates the comic strip "Peanuts" and promotes "Snoopy 4 Prez." 8657 Axe Handle Road, Milford Center.

🍎 Branstool Orchards

• A new favorite of Tyler's, Branstool's apple picking and food trucks make for a perfect afternoon road trip. 5895 Johnstown-Utica Road, Utica.
• Pro tip: Stop by nearby Velvet Ice Cream for lunch and a treat afterward.

👻 Hoover Gardens & Gift Center

• Hoover offers haunted mazes for young and old kids alike. They'll debut during the location's Fallapalooza on Sept. 21. at 182 N. Sunbury Road, Westerville.

Also, there are loads of fall community festivals within an hour's drive of Columbus:

🍅 Fredericktown Tomato Show, Sept. 4–7. The final day features "bathtub races."

🍿 Marion Popcorn Festival, Sept. 5–7. Claims to be the world's largest popcorn festival.

🥒 Ohio Gourd Show, Oct. 4–6. Everything you could want to know about gourds at the Delaware County Fairgrounds.

🎃 Circleville Pumpkin Show, Oct. 16–19. Free, crowded, and the inspiration for Tyler's current license plate.

🕯️ Great Westerville Pumpkin Glow, Oct. 17–20. Where else can you go "pumpkin bowling?"

Even if fall weather hasn't arrived yet, one thing's for certain: The days are getting shorter.

Zoom in: Columbus will lose 2 hours, 50 minutes of daylight between June 20 (the summer solstice) and Sept. 22 (the fall equinox), per NOAA's handy Solar Calculator.

How it works: Here in the Northern Hemisphere, northern latitudes lose more daylight in the fall and winter compared to areas closer to the equator as the Sun's path through the sky shifts southward.

Worthy of your time: If you struggle with the winter blues, check out this advice on dealing with seasonal affective disorder or seasonal depression from Axios' Carly Mallenbaum.

🐝 Get buzzing, it's the annual Lithopolis Honeyfest in the village just southeast of Columbus.

• 3-7pm Friday, 10am-7pm Saturday, downtown Lithopolis. Free!

💃Enjoy folk dancing and ethnic pastries during the Macedonian Culture Festival at St. Mary Macedonian Orthodox Church.

• 4pm-midnight Friday, noon-midnight Saturday, noon-6pm Sunday, 400 S. Waggoner Road, Reynoldsburg. Free!

🍺 Roll out the barrel at Columbus Oktoberfest at the Ohio Expo Center.

• 5pm-midnight Friday, noon-midnight Saturday, noon-8pm Sunday, 717 E. 17th Ave. $15 parking.

⚾ The Clippers' final homestand continues this weekend with an appearance from "Seinfeld" actor Steve Hytner on Friday, Harry Potter Day on Saturday and Family Day on Sunday.

• 7:05pm Friday, 1:05pm Saturday, 1:05pm Sunday, 330 Huntington Park Lane. $8+.

🎵 Catch five local bands at the inaugural Delaware Music Festival, including Burning Diesel and Blue Limestone Project.

• 11am-8pm Saturday, 154 W. William St. $8 in advance, $10 at the festival, children under 16 free!

🎙 Hear Akron's Real Deal sing a variety of old-school R&B hits at the King Arts Complex.

• 2pm Saturday, 835 Mount Vernon Ave. $26.

🎃 Enjoy fall-themed family fun during the Columbus Commons' Harvest Fair.

• 4-8pm Saturday, 160 S. High St. Free!

🎸 Weezer is performing its entire Blue Album in full at Nationwide Arena? Say it ain't so.

• 7pm Saturday, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd. $60+.

🏈 The Buckeyes host Western Michigan for another early-season tune up.

• 7:30pm Saturday, Ohio Stadium. $34+.

🎟 A.J. Croce heads to the Southern Theatre to sing familiar hits by his father, Jim Croce.

7pm Sunday, 21 E. Main St. $60+.

🔎 A cybersecurity expert believes some of Columbus' data was unencrypted when it was recently stolen by a foreign cybercriminal group, but the mayor's office is staying mum. (Dispatch)

🏈 The NFL season is underway, with the Bengals and Browns ranked No. 9 and 12 respectively on ESPN's initial power rankings. (Axios)

• This season features rule changes to kickoffs and tackles.

🏛 Three contested Ohio Supreme Court races will determine which party controls the seven-member body next year.

• Read bios of the six justice candidates. (Ohio Capital Journal)

🍸 The Lion Cocktail Bar opens today in Bexley, with coffee served in the morning and craft cocktails at night. (Columbus Monthly)

🇸🇴 The new Somali Museum of Ohio showcases the country's culture and traditions at a space on Morse Road that's been years in the making. (WCMH-TV)

• The state is home to the country's second-largest Somali population.

Quote du jour

"Nothing will fill the void in our hearts, but through our remembrance, we can find the strength to get through this difficult time together."

A memorial service for Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, will be livestreamed on the Blue Jackets' website Monday at noon.