Cornfest Parade Theme “Corn Across America”
By Crystal Howerton
Citizens of Knox County are gearing up for the 21st annual Cornfest. An exciting line up of events and entertainment are scheduled for September 7, 8, and 9.
This year’s Cornfest will kick off with the opening prayer and Nation Anthem, followed by the Knox County Rescue Squad Fish Fry.
The Knox County Health Department will host a walk-run at 6:30 p.m. Entertainment for the evening will be provided by Tommy Horton and Karaoke provided by Sly Entertainment in the beer garden. The blow-up games will be available from 6 to 9 p.m. for the youngsters.
Registration for the 8th Annual K.C. Cruisers Car Show will be from 8 a.m. to noon with awards at 3:00 p.m. The Quilt Show by Knox County Kut-Ups will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Harris Building next to the Sentinel office. The 4-H Council breakfast in front of the Extension Office will also begin at 9 a.m.
The "Corn Across America" parade will start at 10 a.m. followed by the tractor show, antique tractor games and poker run. The Kids Corn Scramble will also follow the parade on Main Street. On Saturday the blow-up games will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The noon meal is provided by the Knox County Swim Club. Parade winners will also be announced at noon. The Baby Show sponsored by the Southside Road Runners 4-H club will be at 1 p.m., as well as the Pedal Tractor Pull on Main Street, which is sponsored by Doss Funeral Home. A cakewalk is scheduled for 2 p.m., also on Main Street. A barbeque cook-off and a frog jumping contest, sponsored by the Knox County Meth Coalition are at 3 p.m.
Musical entertainments will kick-off with Cohesion, followed by Rhythm and No Blues and Vocalist Lyndsie Poor. The Jackson Weightlifting Club will perform at 7 p.m., after which is the street dance with Expressway and the teen dance with Master D.J. Service. Expressway is sponsored in part by Arment Commercial Contracting and the Knox County Smokebusters is sponsoring the teen dance.
At 9 a.m. Sunday morning is the 3-on-3 basketball tournament sponsored by the Citizens Bank of Edina. The Ecumenical Church Service will be at 10 a.m. followed by the Southside Youth Center meal and Cow Chip Bingo sponsored by the Hurdland Fire Department at noon.
A new addition to the Knox County Cornfest, bed races sponsored by Town and Country Bank Midwest of LaBelle will be held at 12:30 p.m. and a slow bicycle race sponsored by Knox County Farm Bureau at 1 p.m. Grand prizes drawings will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Additional festival attractions throughout cornfest weekend include food and courtyard vendors, train rides, mini golf, bingo, water balloon toss, obstacle course, gladiator joust, bouncy boxing, ProSurf Challenge and pony rides.
