This year’s Sweet Corn Festival is going to be extra sweet as Adel continues its 175th birthday celebration on August 13th.
“It’s a birthday party. We’re celebrating 175 years for the city of Adel,” said Deb Bengtson, president of the Adel Partners Chamber of Commerce.
Bengtson said the annual corn festival will have additional activities to help celebrate the city’s 175th anniversary, including a fun zone sponsored by Harvey’s Greenhouse. The fun zone will include obstacle courses for adults and children, bounce houses, a magician and balloon art.
The city of Adel, an elite sponsor of this year’s festival, will host a birthday celebration from noon to 12:30 p.m. at the Stage and Pavilion. Adel Mayor Jim Peters encourages community members and visitors to “party like it’s 1847” during the afternoon celebration.
“It really means a lot to us to be around for 175 years and have a vibrant and supportive community, and the Sweet Corn Festival is just one example,” he said.
The festivities will kick off on Friday, August 12th, with the Community Corn Shelling starting at 4:30pm in the 10th and Prairie parking lot. Bengtson encourages community members to help shell the seven tons of Deardorff Sweet Corn.
Month: The sweet corn harvest is underway at Deardorff in Adel
“The more hands we have, the faster it goes. I’m always amazed that we have seven tons of corn and we’re done in three hours,” he said. “It’s a really fun event and people bring their whole family to experience it and have fun”.
The festival will continue on Saturday, August 13 with the Sweet Corn 5K Run/Walk at 8 a.m. followed by the parade at 9:30 a.m
The parade route was expanded last year, and the organizers will keep the extended route as it helps distribute the parade attendees. Scott Gavin of the Adel Kiwanis, a group that helps organize the parade, said the parade will travel down 18th Street to Main Street before turning onto 11th Street and back to Prairie before exiting at 14th Street.
There is no pre-registration or fee, and Gavin said anyone who wants to participate in the parade should show up to line up starting at 8:30 a.m.
Free candy corn will be served from 11 a.m. until gone on 10th Street between Main and Prairie.
Other activities include live music, children’s activities from the Adel Fire Department, a bag tournament, a car show and more.
The novelty of this year is a mixed volleyball tournament at Evans Park, sponsored by the ADM volleyball team. The Dallas County Courthouse will be open for tours to help celebrate William Wagner, who helped renovate and preserve the courthouse and Terrace Hill in Des Moines. A pop-up exhibit by William Wagner will open in front of the courthouse at 818 Court St.
“People will be able to come into the courthouse and see what William Wagner did when they renovated the courthouse and learn more about him and what he did for Dallas County,” Bengtson said.
In addition to the opening of the courthouse and exhibition during the festival on Saturday 13 August, the William Wagner Sword Ceremony will be held at 4pm on Friday 12 August on the South Lawn from the courthouse, followed by a recognition in the city of Dallas County. program at 5 pm at the Rotunda of the Palace of Justice. A program honoring the work of William Wagner will be held at 7 p.m., though RSVP to melinda.harney@dallascountyiowa.gov.
The Sweet Corn Festival will end with a street party from 6pm to midnight at 10th and Main, with live music by The Sons of Gladys Kravitz.
“We have so much going on this year that you can go from 9 to 5 very easily in this four-block area and have something new and different to do every hour,” Bengtson said. “We’re encouraging people to come to the parade and plan to stay late and experience everything at the festival.”
This includes birthday celebration events. The city of Adel kicked off its 175th anniversary celebration with Founders’ Day in May, including tours of the cemetery and historic center along with a photo op. Bengtson said the celebration continues with a party during the Sweet Corn Festival.
“I think it will be a really fun way to celebrate Adel’s 175th birthday,” he added. “Just come out and enjoy yourself. Eat corn and celebrate 175 years.”
Find more information, including a full schedule, at Adel Sweet Corn Festival Facebook page.
