Chatham Jaycees to Hold 51st Annual Sweetcorn Festival

The Chatham Jaycees will host the 51st Annual Sweet Corn Festival on Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18, at Chatham Community Park, continuing a summer tradition that has become one of the largest community festivals in central Illinois.

This year’s festival will feature thousands of ears of sweet corn grown by Maddox Farms, along with a vendor village, musical acts, children’s activities, theater and dance demonstrations from local youth programs, and entertainment throughout the park.

The event will also include several competitions and community activities, including the World Championship Cow Chip Throw, a cornhole tournament, pickleball tournament, Ancient Athletics Games, Little Miss Sweetcorn Pageant and the Festival 5K run.

The Cow Chip Throw has become one of the festival’s signature attractions and a longtime crowd favorite. Awards are presented to winners in different divisions, with participants competing to see who can throw a cow chip the farthest.

A community corn shucking event will be held Thursday, July 16, at 5 p.m., when hundreds of volunteers will help shuck a truckload of corn in preparation for the festival.

Admission to the festival is free. Organizers will ask for a $5 per-vehicle parking donation to help defer public safety costs.

Children who sign up for the Chatham Public Library’s summer reading program are also being rewarded with a ticket for a free ear of corn at the festival.

Proceeds from the Sweet Corn Festival support the Chatham Jaycees’ community service projects, including Clothes for Kids, the Mark Workman Service Project, Special Olympics and other local efforts.

The Chatham Illinois Junior Chamber, also known as the Jaycees, is a nonprofit organization that helps young people between the ages of 18 and 41 develop skills in business, leadership, individual training and community service. The organization also extends associate membership to people over the age of 41 and encourages lifelong volunteerism and community action.

The Jaycees’ work is focused on business development, individual growth and community service, guided by the belief that service to humanity is an important part of building stronger communities.

The festival will take place at Chatham Community Park, located along South Main Street and Park Avenue in Chatham.