El Paso Corn Festival to honor two institutions
By Beth Harms Miller for Chronicle Media — September 8, 2023
The Main Stage will feature many musical acts, during the El Paso Corn Festival Sept. 7-9. (Screengrab from El Paso Corn Festival Facebook page)
This year’s El Paso Corn Festival is honoring two institutions with the theme “Amazing Milestones”.
The Festival, which runs through Sept. 9, will celebrate those milestones — the 60th anniversary of the Fire Department and 150th year of the operation of the El Paso Library.
Like many other Woodford County towns, El Paso’s festival, which is marking its 56th year, will include a carnival, community programs, and special food events that include pork tenderloin sandwiches, spaghetti dinners, fried chicken and much more.
The Corn Festival got its of El Paso and Woodford County’s Lester Pfister, who is known as the pioneer of open pollinated corn that led to hybrid seed corn.
During the first full week of September the students of Jefferson Park Grade School will be completing chalk drawings on the sidewalks near the school and Jefferson Park. Those who live or grew up in El Paso call it Library Park, because the library is located on the southeast corner of the park.
Most of the weekend events will be held in or around the park, on Elm Street between the Library and Front Street (which most people call Main Street). These streets will be closed through Sunday morning for display tents and the carnival.
Friday evening’s events start at 4:30 p.m. with the Kiddie Tractor pull, the Kiwanis Spaghetti Supper and the musical performance of the River Road Trio. Armbands can be bought again for Friday night’s carnival and used from 6-10 p.m. Elliot Sedwick & Moonshine Pioneers will provide music on the park stage from 7-9 p.m.
Festivities on Saturday begin at 7:30 a.m. with sign-up for the Bobbie Talbert Memorial Health Walk, which kicks off at 8 a.m. The library’s book sales continue until 5 p.m. Lineup for the parade starts at 10 a.m. behind the high school. The parade will start at noon and make its way toward the downtown festival area. The armband can be used at carnival from 2-7 p.m. The El Paso Fire department will host an event from 3-4 p.m. Music will start on the stage at 4:30 p.m. with Jim and Tommy Acoustic Rock. The Community Well will host a chicken dinner in the park and Kelly and Sarah Fink will preform on the stage from 5-7 p.m.
