The Swanton High School Class of 1967 marches in last year’s Corn Festival parade.
File photo
The annual Swanton Corn Festival will be held this Saturday, starting with the parade at 10:30 a.m., and ending at midnight following the performance of the Harley Packer Band in the beer tent, which starts at 8 p.m.
Neil Toeppe, Swanton Chamber of Commerce president, was selected as grand marshal of the parade for his dedication to the community.
Crafters, merchants, entertainment, rides, games and above all food, can be found in main festival area until around 8 p.m. The rides, however, will continue past that time if the crowds dictate it.
For many, the food is what the festival is all about, and for years the same organizations have had the same food, usually in the same location. As soon as the parade is over flocks of people make a beeline to their favorite festival food booth; however, the real experts know to wait until a little later on in the day for their favorite treat until the lines go down.
Most of the food booths are run by local non-profit organizations that use the festival as one of their main sources of fundraising. Four area churches, Wilkins United Methodist with their milk shakes, the Antioch Baptist church with their ribeye sandwiches, and Faith Lutheran Church with their funnel cakes, will have people lined up most of the day. St. Richard’s parents club also hosts pizza. Swanton Rotary Club will have their fabulous hotdogs, hamburgers, and bratwurst sandwiches again, and right next to them will be Boy Scout Troop 208 with their mini donuts and coffee.
The Swanton Fire Department will have fried pickles and French fries, and the Swanton American Legion will be serving chicken dinners. The Corn Festival Committee has asked all vendors to remain at the festival until 8 p.m. this year. The exception is the chicken dinners, which will only be served until they run out.
Also providing food for the festival to ensure a well-rounded fair food menu will be a few “for profit” groups. The annual fruit smoothies, kettle corn, chili mac, chicken salad sandwiches and pulled pork, and smoked potatoes will all have attendees wondering if they still have room for more.
Admission is free. Parking is close by, and only $2 per car.
Organizers say this is a great time and place to enjoy the simple things of life; good food, good entertainment, and good friends. Those who have been before are already looking forward to it, and those who have never been need to come and see what they have been missing.
