Iowa All Over: Sixty-three years of sweet corn

WEST POINT — It all started in 1952 with a steak fry, some sweet corn and a group of farmers. That year marked the first West Point Sweet Corn Festival, when 50 bushels of corn donated by local farmers were served.

Sixty-three years later, the West Point Sweet Corn Festival attracts visitors from three states and four countries to the southeastern town annually. Twenty-five thousand people attended festivities last year in West Point, population 966, according to Mayor Paul Walker.

The Sweet Corn Festival is the largest event the 'Home of the Sweet Corn Festival' in Lee County puts on every year. In 2014, 45,000 ears of corn were served. More than $25,000 was raised last year, Walker said.

This week West Point will once again begin preparations for the annual festival. This is its 63rd.

Festivities begin Wednesday with Shuckfest. Committee members anticipate about 300 volunteers will shuck 18 to 20 tons of Wisconsin and Northern Illinois corn.

The event features food and beverages sponsored by a local bank. Over the course of the four-day festival, all the corn will be given away free.

On Thursday, the festival officially begins with the opening of the carnival. Thursday also brings arts and crafts in the park, pork loin dinners, entertainment on the stage and a drill team performance.

Friday will feature chicken dinners, a corn-eating contest, dance performances and a live band. Festivities continue throughout the weekend with a 5 and 10K race Saturday, bath tub races, a tractor pull and a parade.

Free corn is served every day of the festival.

Ninety-five percent of profits from the festival go toward community improvement projects.

' ...

The main objective of the corn festival is to get people to come in, showcase our town and to generate money for a lot of different things that take place in this town,' Walker said.

In the past, profits from the festival have gone toward improving the West Point Library and toward building concession stands and making other improvements in the town's South Park. Profits led to a shelter house being built in the 1960s.

The community club also has contributed toward the cost of after-prom events and Bible school, among other projects, Walker said.

This year, organizers expect every last ear to be eaten during the festival. To committee members, the festival is an example of a long-standing collaboration amongs area business, residents and community members.

Ninety percent of businesses contribute in one way or the other to making the festival possible, Walker said.

It's also a celebration of Iowa.

'We've got people that come from California …

. You meet your family and friends here, class reunions,' committee general chairman Randy Welding said. 'The same guys cook, that's probably the only time they see each other every year. They just keep coming back for it.'

If you go

What: West Point Sweet Corn Festival

Where: Sevveral locations throughout West Point. City Hall is 313 Fifth St.

When: 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.

Go to westpointsweetcornfestival.com or call (319) 837-6313.