Where else can you taste mouth-watering and locally grown sweet corn, watch amateurs and professionals chow down during a competitive corn-eating contest, buy freshly picked corn and participate in a corn shucking contest? Only at the 13th annual Sweet Corn Fiesta on Sunday, April 28, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Admission to the Sweet Corn Fiesta is $8 for adults ($7 in advance), $5 for children ages 6 to 11 and free to those 5 years old and younger. Parking is free. A $5 unlimited rides wristband is available for kids.
The event is a collaboration among Fresh from Florida, the Florida Sweet Corn Exchange, the South Florida Fair and the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau. “The main reason we present this event is to promote the spring sweet corn crop in the Glades,” event coordinator Ann Holt said. “We want to promote and educate people on what we do. No community grows more. In fact, Palm Beach County grows more sweet corn than any other county in the world.”
The main attraction is the corn itself, presented in a variety of ways for purchase — on a stick, in a bag, by the crate, boiled or raw.
The event also will feature live musical entertainment by Quentin Benedict and the Krystal River Band and an old fashioned bathing suit competition at 1 p.m., followed by a sweet corn shucking contest. At 3 p.m., the Florida Sweet Corn Exchange will sponsor an International Corn Eating Contest featuring the International Federation of Competitive Eaters. The winner will take home $2,000 and the title of International Corn Eating Champion. A local corn eating contest also will be held. The winner will receive $100 (must be 18 or older to enter).
In addition to rides, little ones can participate in many games and activities. Kids contests begin around 1:15 p.m.
For more information, call (561) 996-0343 or visit www.sweetcornfiesta.com.
