This year's Sugar Grove Corn Boil Festival could be the last
The Sugar Grove Corn Boil festival returns Thursday, July 20, and runs through Sunday, July 23, in Volunteer Park, featuring carnival rides, fireworks, live entertainment and, of course, plenty of corn.
The free festival started in 1967 as a fundraiser for the Sugar Grove Young Adults Club. This year marks the 53rd Corn Boil. But organizers say without more volunteers, there may not be a 54th. Sugar Grove Corn Boil NFP, a nonprofit group, organizes the event.
Corn Boil President Jackie Link said the festival drew about 35,000 annually before COVID-19. But she expects around 25,000 to attend this year. She said over 10,000 ears of corn are shucked at the event each year.
The Corn Boil is run entirely by volunteers, from the staff at the event to the committee members who organize it. This will be Link's final year as president, and she said several other longtime organizers are also retiring.
Link said the future of the fair is in jeopardy — not because of a lack of funding or attendance, but rather not enough manpower to make it happen. She said they have plenty of funding from festival revenue and donations from local businesses but not nearly enough volunteers.
The Medallion Hunt will not be held this year because of a lack of volunteers.
“We have a pretty well-oiled machine that runs as long as we have the people in place to help out,” Link said. “We have all the plans and vendors that we use in place. It's just a matter of people spending some time.”
The NFP is looking for local volunteers to head up committees and sit on committees. They will attend a one-hour committee meeting each month to help to organize next year's festival.
Link said if they don't fill the positions by October, there won't be a 2024 Corn Boil Festival.
“What we're really looking for is for volunteers to come in and take over this organization,” Link said. “As long as we have enough volunteers, it's a very minimal time requirement.”
For this year's event, Thursday's entertainment will be movies in the park featuring a kid's showing and an adult's showing, which will be catered by food trucks.
A parade will kick off on Friday at 5 p.m., beginning near the Sugar Grove Public Library.
Bands will take the stage every night from Friday through Sunday, and local business and craft vendors will be in service on Saturday and Sunday.
Bingo games will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Saturday will kick off with the Sugar Grove Park District 5K run/walk at 7:30 a.m. at Harter Middle School before the festival opens. Racers can register at the event Saturday morning before the race begins.
A fireworks show will close out Saturday night's entertainment lineup.
This year, the car show is expanding to offer a wider variety of vehicles. Guests who wish to exhibit their cars should cruise to Volunteer Park to register from 10 to 11 a.m. Sunday, July 23.
The car show is open to all types, years, and classes of cars and trucks. The entry cost is $10 a vehicle. The show runs on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Winners will be announced on the main stage.
The Grove VIP Beer Garden will be fenced off, with picnic tables and umbrellas for prime viewing of the parade, stage and fireworks. It will have a bar and private restrooms.
VIP access will cost $25 per person on Friday night and $20 on Saturday night and will not include drinks. More premium entry options are available for purchase on the Corn Boil website.
If you go
What: Sugar Grove Corn Boil festival
When: 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 20-23
Where: Volunteer Park, 31 S. Main St., Sugar Grove
Cost: Free; $35 for wristbands granting unlimited access to rides from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Each wristband purchase is good for one day at the carnival.
Details: <a href="https://sugargrovecornboil.org/">sugargrovecornboil.org</a>