Corn fest falls on eclipse weekend
Free corn, carnival and parade part of the fun at this year's event, expected to be busier than ever
- If you go: 11 a.m. Aug. 19, Porter-Boone Park, Aumsville. Free.
- Looking for other free eclipse events? See bottom of story.
The idea was to get some animals at this year’s Aumsville Corn Festival so they moved up the date.
What they’re probably going to get instead is a bunch more people attending.
In order to try to get the annual festival away from events like the state fair — so that groups like 4H and FFA would not be otherwise occupied — organizers moved the 49th Annual Aumsville Corn Festival up to Aug. 19.
Parade organizer City Clerk Colleen Rogers said the event has traditionally been held nine days before Labor Day, but now it's been adjusted to run the third Saturday in August.
The only potential iffy element to the move is local corn; will it be ripe in time? That won't be a problem this year as warm weather has ensured a wealth of ripe ears.
Despite the efforts, there won’t be animals coming to the Porter Boone Park activities, but there will be plenty of people in town for the eclipse.
“We weren’t even thinking about the eclipse,” said Corn Festival board president Sonny Newson. “We don’t know what’s going to go on. Are we going to have more people? We believe so. We’re kind of thinking we’ll have maybe two to three thousand more people in town.”
The event is being branded “The Total Eclipse of the Cob” for this year’s edition.
Rogers said they don't know yet if any 4H or FFA members and their animals will take part in the parade, but they are hoping to draw some.
"We don't have a pre-entry requirement, so they could sign up right up to 9 a.m. (that Saturday) or even 10 a.m. if they don't want to be judged (for ribbons)," she said.
They do know that Tom Lovell, Cascade School District facilities director of several decades, will be part of the parade as the Grand Marshal.
Also watch for the Corn Festival Court: Lauren Gerbitz, a senior at Willamette Valley Baptist School; Elaina Gerbitz, 15, a WVBS sophomore; Briana Quinlan, an 8th grader at Cascade.
The fireman’s breakfast runs 6 to 10 a.m. at 490 Church St., the parade follows at 11 a.m., and the main festivities — including a couple of carnival booths — take place at Porter-Boone Park starting at noon.
Newson is delighted with the entertainment lineup, which include acoustic guitarist Jim Phau, Aumsville Community Theatre, Celebration Brass of Keizer and Cascade High School rally squad.
Of course the most important part of any corn festival is the corn. And like past years, there will be enough free corn to go around. Each attendee is allotted two free, hot-buttered ears, and the line forms quickly following the parade and normally snakes around the park.
There will be a corn eating contest with different age categories — 8 to 11, 12 to 15 and 16 and older — with the winners getting a plaque and the winner of the highest age bracket also winning $80.
The Marion Soil and Water Conservation District is giving money to make sure that everyone who comes will have corn to eat.
“We sell half of our corn, we’re going to have probably 26 tons this year,” Newson said. “We don’t see a lot of people buying it, we see more people eating it.
“We’re getting those from Marty Dozler, from his farm co-op. We’re giving away two free ears of buttered corn to every individual that comes up and asks for it.”
bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler
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If you go
Where: Porter-Boone Park, 1105 Main St., Aumsville
When: 11 a.m. Aug. 19
Cost: Free, including two cobs of corn
Four other eclipse events to which you can still attend (because they’re free)
Indy Goes Dark: The city of Independence has a full slate of events schedule from Aug. 17-21 including movies, bands and, of course, food and drinks leading up to the eclipse.
Eclipse in Dallas: The town hosts events from Aug. 18-21 including concerts, food and drink vendors and eclipse-themed movies.
The Great Eclipse Concert: Monmouth hosts tribute band Pigs On The Wing, who will be playing Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” at 8 p.m. Aug. 20.
Eclipse Weekend at the Capitol: The Oregon State Capitol will have events Aug. 19-21 including lectures, and 750 eclipse glasses will be given out each day.
More:Events to celebrate the 2017 solar eclipse in Salem, Willamette Valley