CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Members of the 2023 Corn Carnival Committee are pictured modeling their safety yellow event staff t-shirts.

GLADBROOK – Gladbrook’s 101st annual Corn Carnival kicks off this week on Thursday and runs through Sunday with some new, some old, and some different offerings in line with the 2023 theme ‘Growing New Roots,’ according to event organizers.

Corn Carnival Committee board members and event chairpersons will be easy to recognize this year as they will be sporting bright “event staff” t-shirts. If you have a question or need assistance, they will be happy to help.

The 2023 Corn Carnival Committee includes president Dennis Gienger, vice president Denise Kemp, secretary Samantha DeWitt, treasurer Megan Gienger, Keith Sash, Tandi Davis, JoAnn Ruopp, Brady and Mel Wagner, Logan Koester, Seth Martens, Wayne Nekola and Josh and Samantha Garrison.

Check out all four days of events below.

Thursday, June 15

Thursday begins with the traditional Collectors’ Fair at the Memorial Building. Doors open at 10 a.m. and will run until 9 p.m. that evening. Be sure to stop by and check out all the collections including a shadow box collection. A special “Back to the Future” box complete with lights will be raffled off during the event.

The Little Miss and Mr. Corn Carnival will take place in City Park at 6:15 p.m., immediately followed by the Corn Cob Queen crowning. This year’s Corn Cob Queen candidates include Barb Dewitt, Linda Lowry, and Lisa Reinhard. Voting closes on Wednesday, June 14. Voting buckets are available at Hometown Family Market.

The Kiddies Parade – always a Corn Carnival favorite! – is set for 6:30 p.m. in City Park following the queen crowning.

Bingo will take place on the Shuffleboard Court from 7-10 p.m.

Hometown Family Market is sponsoring free entertainment on Thursday evening featuring the Dueling Pianos from 7-9 p.m. in the grocery store lot. Bring lawn chairs.

Daily events include carnival rides/inflatables by Scott Amusements and the midway which opens at 5 p.m. and remains open until 11 p.m. Ride wristbands cost $25 during Carnival but can be purchased for $20 ahead of time at Casey’s, Great Western Bank, Hometown Family Market, and City Hall in Gladbrook.

There will be a sweet corn stand, both the Tama County Cattlemen’s Association and the Tama County Pork Producers will have their grills going, The Pie Lady and The Natural Grind food trucks will be on site, a quilt raffle will take place, and both the Gladbrook Museum and Pat Acton’s Matchstick Marvels Tourist Center will be open in City Centre.

Friday, June 16

On Friday, there will be merchant and business exhibits on display upstairs at City Centre from 3-10 p.m.

The Grand Parade is set to commence at 6:30 p.m. at the corner of Peace Church from where it will head east on Johnson Street for five blocks, south on King Street for one block, and then back west on Fourth Street past the City Park for five blocks. Parade entries need to enter off of Hwy 96 on Garfield Street and assemble on the FS lot. No pre-registration is required.

Following the parade, a petting zoo will be open from 7-9 p.m., and new this year, a caricature artist will showcase their skills on Main Street from 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Friday’s entertainment features In Cahoots which begins playing after the parade until midnight on the east end of Main Street.

Saturday, June 17

Saturday kicks off with Breakfast on Main from 7:30-10 a.m. on the west end of Main Street.

The 5K Race/2-Mile Walk competition and Kids Fun Run is set to begin at 8 a.m. in City Park – registration begins at 7 a.m. The race course is described as “challenging with its hills and turns but is a great way to tour the city,” per event organizers.

The race starts at the south side of City Park and goes through the heart of town. Adult and youth volunteers will be lining the route, monitoring street corners and encouraging participants.

To “win” the walk competition, participants must estimate how long it will take to walk the two miles – whoever guesses closest to their actual time wins.

Registration for the tractor ride also begins at 7 a.m. on Main Street at the old shuffleboard court. Tractor parking will be at the corner area of Gould and Johnston streets.

There will be a Cribbage Tournament beginning at 8 a.m. at City Centre.

Registration for the car show is from 10 a.m. to noon, while the show itself takes place from noon to 3 p.m. on Johnson Street.

A waterball contest organized by the fire department will take place on the south end of City Park with registration beginning at 1 p.m.

There will be a plethora of kids activities taking place Saturday morning in the park with registration beginning at 9 a.m. and events starting at 10 a.m. The cost is $1 per event. Events include:

Cozy Coupe Races: Youngsters will use their foot power to propel these Little Tikes cars down the street. Age divisions will be 1, 2, and 3 year olds. Our younger participants always enjoy this event.

Big Wheel Races: Immediately following the Cozy Coupes. The age groups are 2-3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Each individual will be timed!

Sport Car Races: Featuring the Little Tikes Sport Racer. Age divisions are 3-4, 5-6, and 7 years olds. All “Racers” are furnished, so all you need is pedal power!

Pedal Tractor Pull: Come and test your strength with the Pedal Tractor Pull, just like the “big boys!” All supplies are furnished, so all you need is enthusiasm and muscle power. Weight brackets are by pounds: 35-46 lbs., 47-58 lbs, 59-70 lbs, and 71-80 lbs. (Kids will be weighed on-site.)

Basketball Shoot: Held on the basketball court at the City Park. Age divisions for this combined boys and girls event are: 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, and 15-16. We again will feature Little Tikes basketball hoops and balls for the younger ages, while regulation baskets and balls will be used for older groups.

And what would Corn Carnival be without a corn throwing contest? This event is open to kids both young and young-at-heart. There will be separate brackets for boys and girls aged 1-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-19, 20-59, and over 60.

Saturday’s musical entertainment is Katie & The Honky Tonks – a local band featuring Katie Sires who hails from Gladbrook, her husband Luke Sires from Traer, and Jason Parks of Garwin who plays the bass. The band takes to the Main Street stage from 7-10 p.m.

Following the concert, there will be a fireworks show sponsored by the Corn Carnival Corporation. While the show itself will be staged from the northeast corner of town, the fireworks should be visible from the east end of Main Street.

Sunday, June 18

The 101st Corn Carnival winds down on Sunday with a Community Church Service at 10:30 a.m. at the Gladbrook Theater, and an omelet breakfast over at Peace Church (201 Johnson St.) from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The annual Corn Carnival is hosted by the Gladbrook community and organized by the Gladbrook Corn Carnival Corporation. Proceeds from the celebration are funneled back into the community by funding projects aimed at improving the quality of life for those in and around Gladbrook. For more information visit https://www.gladbrookcorncarnival.org.