CORN CARNIVAL PHOTOS BY JONATHAN MEYER/BLACK DIRT DAYS PHOTOS BY ROBERT MAHARRY

Two long-running town festivals returned to the area this year with strikingly similar themes, both odes to Bruce Springsteen’s classic song: “Corn in the USA” at the 103rd Corn Carnival in Gladbrook and “Born in the USA” at Conrad’s Black Dirt Days. Both featured the trademark parade (held on Friday night in Gladbrook and Saturday morning in Conrad) along with a host of other activities, live entertainment and special events like car shows and truck and tractor pulls in Conrad, firemen water fights in Gladbrook, 5k runs and pancake breakfasts, to name a few.

‘Corn in the USA’ at 103rd Corn Carnival