Chatham’s big summer event celebrating that delicious, golden food staple just keeps going strong. The festival is celebrating its 50th year. The fun starts at 4:30 p.m. Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the honoring of past event chairs. Then it’s on to the Little Miss Sweet Corn pageant, games for children, more than 70 vendors and, of course, more than 20,000 ears of golden deliciousness. Blue Sky Revival, Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters and Griffin Fenoglio will provide the musical entertainment before the event closes for the night at 11:30 p.m. A full day of events begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday with the Sweet Corn Festival 5K. Activities include a fundraiser for the Special Olympics, “SweetCornhole” tournament, ancient athletics competition and the famous Illinois Championship Cow Chip Throw at 2 p.m. You, too, can throw some poo. Musical entertainment will be provided by Slidin’ By, Soul Experience, UNCHAiNED, Deja Voodoo and Fenoglio before the event ends at 11:30 p.m. If you want to help shuck all that tasty corn, then report to the park at 5 p.m. today. For a complete schedule, visit chathamjaycees.net.
Chatham Sweet Corn Festival
Friday, July 18, 4:30-11:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 19, 7:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
Chatham Community Park
711 S. Park Ave., Chatham
Free, $5 parking donation suggested
This article appears in Getting right with Native Americans.
