Amid all the fun and games, Corn Fest aims to showcase ‘DeKalb at its finest’

DeKALB – Corn Fest has taken over the streets of downtown DeKalb. The festival continues through Sunday.

Now in its 46th year, the event makes its return with plenty of corn on the cob, family-friendly activities, vendors, live music and a display of farm vehicles.

New this time, the organizers behind the festival are dedicating the beer garden in memory of Ben Coulter, a board member and avid Corn Fest organizer who died in a farming accident in January.

The dedication will take place Saturday at 6 p.m.

Lisa Angel, the festival’s chairwoman, said the board is looking forward to remembering the life that Coulter led.

“That’s going to be something that means a lot to all of us,” Angel said. “We have been a very tight-knit group. This was a hard loss for all of us. So, we’re happy that we can find a way to celebrate and keep Ben with us.”

[ DeKalb Corn Fest is here: What to know if you go ]

As in years past, the festival will continue to feature the corn boil, carnival, vendors and live music.

In its 46th year, Corn Fest is held along Lincoln Highway from First to Fourth streets and Grove to Locust streets.

Festivities continue through 6 p.m. Sunday. The festival runs through 11 p.m. Saturday. The crowd-pleasing annual Chuck Siebrasse Corn Boil kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday and runs to 2 p.m. at the corner of Fourth Street and Lincoln Highway. Free steamed corn will be handed out until it runs out. This year’s sound stage headliner is country music singer Scott McCreery.

Ken’s Kake’s Owner Kennedy Davis was stationed at a booth selling cookies Friday. Davis said she is cognizant of how much time and careful attention she must give to baking.

“I’m a teacher full time, so when I’m not teaching, I’m baking every night,” Davis said. “Decorating cookies definitely takes a lot longer than the drop cookies and the detail kind of depends. But I would definitely say it’s another full-time job on top of teaching.”

Davis said she was anticipating that it would be busy at Corn Fest. She said her goodies are a huge draw for people.

“A lot of people have loved my stuff,” Davis said. “I did farmers’ markets all summer. I had a lot of people return [and] buy the same things. Sugar cookies are definitely my bestsellers and the most popular. They’re kind of what’s trending right now.”

“We look forward to it all year. We count down the days.”

—  Jennifer Thorne, DeKalb resident

DeKalb resident Jennifer Thorne was scouting the festival grounds with her son, Lex, and her daughter, Renee.

“We like to come and check out everything before it gets too busy and then we know what parts we want to bring our friends back to,” Thorne said. “This is like our scouting time.”

Thorne said she was excited about Corn Fest.

“We look forward to it all year,” Thorne said. “We count down the days.”

Union resident Mia Lulinski made her way down Lincoln Highway with her brother, Tom Lulinski as the festival opened Friday afternoon. Mia Lulinski said she was ecstatic about getting the chance to experience Corn Fest for the first time.

“We’re ready to eat some corn on the cob, have some funnel cake, see the tractors,” Lulinski said.

Tom Lulinski said his favorite part was the farm vehicles that were on display.

“I like the older, like antique tractors,” Tom Lulinski said. “I like to see the different colors, like the John Deere ones.”

Mia Lulinski said she felt the festival had a strong early showing.

“I’d say it’s pretty good,” Lulinski said. “We got here at 3 o’clock on opening day, and I already see a lot of people around, so I think it’ll be good for tomorrow.”

Angel said she hopes people revel in all that DeKalb has to offer.

“For the same people that come down every year or for the new people, we just want people to come down and be able to enjoy,” Angel said. “I love that we’re one of the last free admission festivals that people can come down and test things out and have free corn. … We’re showcasing DeKalb at its finest with our community as well as our businesses. That’s what I would hope people take away.”