Every August, thousands of people fill downtown DeKalb for a beloved tradition: Corn Fest! With free sweet corn, live music, local vendors, carnival rides, and community spirit, the festival has become a highlight of the summer. Corn-centered celebrations have roots that sprawl way back on the DeKalb County timeline, evidenced by article for a corn festival we dug up from the digital archives:
Published in The True Republican in March 1900, this article invites the public to attend a spirited celebration of corn at the Baptist church in Sycamore, proving that corn-themed gatherings have been a staple in DeKalb County for over 125 years! For only 15 cents, attendees could attend this festival and enjoy 9 different corn dishes followed by a cup of coffee– talk about a good deal! If you’re interested in reading more articles like this one, you can check out our newspaper archives. There’s tons of history, local and beyond, to explore!
The Humble Beginnings of DeKalb Corn Fest
Although DeKalb’s Corn Fest didn’t start 125 years ago like the one from the article, it’s got history that spans generations! In the late 1950s, Del Monte began donating freshly harvested sweet corn to the people of DeKalb to celebrate the beginning of the harvest season. What started as a simple gesture quickly became an annual tradition. By 1960, the event (then known as the DeKalb Corn Boil) was sponsored by the Downtown Association and California Packing Corporation, with volunteers boiling about six tons of corn for the community.
Over the following decades, the event continued to grow. Sidewalk sales were added in the early 1970s, and in 1977 the celebration officially became DeKalb Corn Fest, expanding beyond the corn boil to include live entertainment, food vendors, family activities, and community organizations.
Growing Along with the Community
As Corn Fest became more popular, so did its music scene. What began with a small stage tucked into an alley beside the Egyptian Theatre eventually grew into a major outdoor concert venue capable of hosting nationally recognized artists. Over the years, performers including Joan Jett, Blue Öyster Cult, Survivor, Night Ranger, Travis Tritt, Lady Antebellum, .38 Special, Jefferson Starship, Phil Vassar, Eddie Money, Leon Russell, and many others have entertained festival crowds. This year at the Sound Stage, you can catch a mix of country, classic rock, reggae, and pop performers, including Austin Hopkins, Kashmir, 7th Heaven, Hillbilly Rockstarz, and more! Saturday night’s exciting headliner is the Pop 2000 Tour featuring Chris Kirkpatrick of *NSYNC, O-Town, Ryan Cabrera, and LFO.
The Heart of the Festival
While the music and entertainment have expanded, the heart of Corn Fest is still the same: giving away delicious, freshly harvested sweet corn. Every year, tens of thousands of ears of sweet corn are harvested just before the festival and steamed to perfection. During the famous Corn Boil, visitors line up for free ears of corn served hot and ready to enjoy! This year, free steamed sweet corn is available on Saturday during the festival from 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM (or when corn runs out) at the corner of 4th St. and Lincoln Hwy.
The DeKalb Corn Fest Board of Directors renamed the Corn Boil in 2009 in honor of Chuck Siebrasse, a lifelong DeKalb resident and respected community leader, and Chairman of the Corn Boil for 25 years, as well as past Chairman of Corn Fest.
A Festival Built by Volunteers
One of the most remarkable things about Corn Fest is that it is organized entirely by volunteers. As a nonprofit organization, Corn Fest relies on community members, local businesses, sponsors, and countless volunteers to provide entertainment, family activities, and, of course, the famous sweet corn. This community spirit has been part of the festival from the very beginning and continues to make Corn Fest a source of local pride. If you feel called to, you can sign up to help today!
Celebrate the Tradition
Whether you come for the concerts, the carnival, the vendor booths, or simply because nothing tastes better than a fresh ear of corn, Corn Fest is a celebration of everything that makes DeKalb special: agriculture, community, volunteerism, and coming together to enjoy the final weeks of summer! This year, the celebration goes from August 28- August 30.
Read More at the Library
Want to dig deeper into the history of Illinois agriculture, traditions, and one of America’s most iconic crops? Try one of these titles:
- Corn: A Global History by Michael Owen Jones – A fascinating look at the history, culture, and worldwide impact of one of the world’s most important crops.
- The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan – Explores how corn became the foundation of the modern American food system and what that means for consumers.
- The Third Plate by Dan Barber – An eye-opening look at sustainable farming and the future of American agriculture.
- Forty Years of Illinois Corn History by Ann Hodgson– The history of the Illinois Corn organizations. Focuses on the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) from 1972-2012.
- Historic Illinois from the Air by David O. Downey – A unique aerial tour of the state’s historic landscapes, farms, and communities.
- Corn Dance : Inspired First American Cuisine by Loretta Barrett Oden – Alongside recipes that combine the flavors of her Oklahoma upbringing and Indigenous heritage with the Southwest flair of her Santa Fe restaurant, Loretta offers entertaining and edifying observations about ingredients and cooking culture.
- Restoring Eden by Elizabeth Hillborn – Her goal was to protect her farm and everything that lived there. But first she had to convince her rural neighbors of the risk to their way of life, too.
We invite you to come create, collaborate, and grow with us at DeKalb Public Library! If you have questions about our building, services, materials, or any suggestions, please reach out to us at [email protected] or 815-756-9568 ext. 2150, or stop by and see us during our open hours. Happy reading!