THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2012 Tri-Cities

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Corny fun
Sugar Grove Corn Boil brings out memories, corn lovers
By Hannah Meisel
hmeisel@dailyherald.com

When the annual Sugar Grove Corn Boil began 45 years ago, the town had just been incorporated, and its population was in the hundreds, not the thousands. Much of the festivals corn was grown by the very same hands who gathered to eat it, and, oh yeah, the corn was boiled in the boiler of an old steam engine. Thats according to the memory of former Sugar Grove resident Ken Klomhaus.

Klomhaus, who moved to Sun City, Ariz., 10 years ago, was part of the original Young Adult Club of Sugar Grove around the time of the first Corn Boil. He and his wife Darr Lynn now venture back to Sugar Grove for the annual event to get together with old friends from the Young Adult Club and will be present Friday at the opening of the Corn Boil. The 2012 Sugar Grove Corn Boil will celebrate 45 years from Friday through Sunday, July 27-29, at Volunteer Park. From the opening ceremonies parade Friday to the

Ivan Cadema, 11, of Plano takes a whack at a carnival game during a previous Sugar Grove Corn Boil festival.

DAILY HERALD FILE PHOTO

5K run/walk Saturday and firefighter water fights Sunday, this is not the same Corn Boil that debuted in 1967, but Klomhaus said the principle of community first is still evident. The Young Adult Club was a social group but we learned community service, he said, mentioning the community center the organization used and added onto. It was way ahead of its time. The Corn Boil was originally a way to raise funds for the Young Adult Club, which was open to all young couples under 40. The name later changed to the Community Club as to not restrict membership. The Corn Boil no longer utilizes an old steam train engine to boil its corn in fact, more than 10,000 ears of corn are made and consumed each year at the festival. From 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, corn connoisseurs can try their hand at the Corn Boil Cooking Challenge. Those not as skilled in the kitchen can ride amusements provided by Wilson Family Show and sip on beverages from the beer garden. Vendors from all over will sell their wares at the crafters and business expo all three days while listening to live music from the SoundStage. The locally based bands at the SoundStage play both secular and Christian music, with cover bands spanning the decades from the 1970s onward. Saturdays American Legion car show might present the toys of choice for some, but for the younger crowd, the KidZone will be the highlight of the fest, providing all-day

Andrew Drabik of Aurora pulls out a cooked batch of sweet corn at last years Sugar Grove Corn Boil. Each year, more than 10,000 ears of corn are boiled and served over the festivals three days.

L A U R A S T O E C K E R / lstoecker@dailyherald.com, 2011

entertainment ranging from face painting and water balloon throwing to exotic animal and S.W.A.T. team demonstrations. Admission to the Corn Boil is free, while activities and other food prices vary. For details, visit sugargrovecornboil.org.

If you go
What: Sugar Grove Corn Boil When: 6-11 p.m. Friday, July 27; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, July 28; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, July 29 Where: Volunteer Park, 61 Main St., Sugar Grove Admission: Free; food and activity costs vary Details: Visit sugargrovecornboil.org or call (630) 466-5166

DuPage County Fair features concerts and carnival

By Sara Hooker
shooker@dailyherald.com

Theres something bout a hot summer day at the DuPage County Fair. A big ol sign that says come on in. The smell of festival food, farm animals and the sounds of fun. Something bout a hot summer day at the DuPage County Fair. At least thats how main stage headliner and Somethin Bout a Truck country music artist Kip Moore might sing a song about the fair, which opened Wednesday and runs 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily through Sunday at the fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road in Wheaton. The 58th annual DuPage County Fair includes lively main stage entertainment, agricultural fun, a carnival, contests and community projects. Storms earlier this month threatened to dampen the fun by downing trees and power poles throughout the fairgrounds and damaging the exhibition building, leaving the grounds without power for a week and a half. But fair employees and volunteers rallied to repair broken windows and doors and to restore power, all the while preparing for the big event. A big thank-you to everybody who did pitch in the

electrical firms, and there upper food court. were a lot of compaIt gives them an area nies who came out and thats a not so loud, not responded quickly so we so noisy, but a lot of fun were able to get ourselves for the kids, McGuire to the point where were at said. Its worked for today, so were ready, said other fairs, so this year Jim McGuire, president of wed like to give it a try the DuPage County Fair to see if it works for us as Association. We invite well. everybody to come out and The carnival opens at enjoy it. noon Saturday and SunNew activities this year day, and 11 a.m. Thursinclude a kiddie carnival day and Friday. A variety separate from the main of pay-one-price packcarnival. Also, visitors can ages exists for Thursday experience harvesting a through Sunday. S T E V E L U N D Y / slundy@dailyherald.com field of corn in a combine simulator, walk through Motocross riders like these will be among the featured atAg-Ventureland a 15-by-20 tent filled with tractions Saturday as the DuPage County Fair continues in butterflies or tour a three- Wheaton. New this year in Agroom house made within Ventureland an area one large redwood log. Taste food and drink from monster trucks, but people dedicated to agriculturalOld favorites include horse more than 20 breweries and loved it so much, organizers related activities are bee, shows, duck races and a wineries and more than 20 decided to give it the main butterfly and pollination demolition derby. Visit Ag- restaurants. Ticket prices billing this year. exhibits, as well as a comVentureland, where you just are $40, including admisThe motorcycle portion bine simulator. may see a baby chick hatch sion to the fair. Back Coun- was so well-received. Weve You get up in there and or learn about the process of try Roads performs. Spirits of heard nothing but praise youll be in a cabin combinmilking a cow. DuPage benefits the Friends from the guests for how good ing corn. Youll be picking of DuPage, a nonprofit that the show is, McGuire said. the corn and getting the field Main stage manages and maintains the We think thats going to be clean, McGuire said. In the fairgrounds. a real fun and exciting day same trailer, you can learn On Thursday, two MexiPeople can learn some- with the motorcycle shows. about GPS systems and how can-style bands from Cal- thing about the different And, as always, Sunday is theyre being used in the ifornia and Mexico take craft beers and wineries, demolition derby day with farm fields. the stage at the Festival de McGuire said. Many of shows at 2 and 7 p.m. AdmisTake a camel or pony ride Musica, which begins at 7 those will be local. sion is also $7, not including for $5 each. Watch chicks p.m. with the band La ChaThis year, motocross domi- entrance fees to the fair. hatch, or reach out and caloza de Jerez, Zac. At 8:30 nates Saturdays main entertouch some animals at the p.m., Conjunto Atardecer tainment with shows at 2 and Carnival petting zoo. performs. Ticket prices are 7 p.m. Admission is $7 per Other daily activities $10, including admission. person, not including admisNew this year is a sepa- include magic shows, blackThe Spirits of DuPage beer sion to the fair. rate carnival for the youngest smithing, a corn box play and wine tasting takes place In past years, the motor- ride-lovers, located between area, pig racing, duck racing, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday. cycle show accompanied Ag-Ventureland and the a reptile exhibit, spinning

and weaving, wood carvers, corn grinding, milking demonstrations and rope making. New this year is Allens Original Redwood Log House a three-room house inside one large redwood log. Also new is The Bubble Experience a show all about fun with bubbles that takes place three times a day. Additionally, the Double Vision twin magic act will rove the fairgrounds. Also new this year is a photo booth located across from the poultry and rabbit barn, where visitors can take pictures and have them printed for $5.

Community projects
During its run, the DuPage County Fair will support several community projects. The second annual dog adoption event takes place near the entry gate each day with more than 10 organizations visiting throughout the fair with dogs and puppies in need of a good home. A St. Baldricks event to benefit research into childhood cancer treatments and cures takes place at noon Saturday. See people shave their heads to raise money for the organization. A coin collection to purchase goats to feed Haitian families runs the duration See FAIR on PAGE 4