Fort Gibson celebrates sweet corn

Jun. 25—Expect more corn and more fun things to do at this year's Sweet Corn Festival, today and Saturday in downtown Fort Gibson.

"It's kind of a send-off for summer. We're celebrating the corn harvest, that's always a special thing," said Tim Smith, commander of Frank Gladd American Legion Post 20, which sponsors the event. "It's a celebration of the community and a celebration of Fort Gibson and a good time to get together with friends and family and have fun."

The festival includes corn eating and corn shucking contests, a variety of vendors, roasted corn and succotash.

Smith said Brian Sheffield is continuing the generous legacy left by the late Dick Sheffield, who died in January at 85. Dick Sheffield, who farmed south of Fort Gibson, provided hundreds of bushels of sweet corn since the festival began 13 years ago.

People will have plenty of sweet corn to buy by the bushel, half-bushel or peck. Smith said the festival will have 504 bushels available for sale, up 100 from last year.

Fresh corn will be sold at $24 a bushel.

They also can enjoy "a bunch" of succotash served in cardboard boats.

"We spent two afternoons cooking up squash, peppers, sausages. We've got corn that's going in, okra," succotash chef Clayton Armstrong said. "We're tweaking the recipe a little bit. I think people are going to be very pleased."

He said they filled at least a dozen gallon bags with onions and squash.

"We sliced and diced onions until we were crying," he said.

Armstrong said he expects to start cooking early Saturday morning and start serving around 10:30 a.m. Saturday. He said he runs out of succotash each year.

"This is my third year, and I'm trying to achieve the ultimate Stash satisfaction," Armstrong said. "We tweak it about every year."

This year's festival will feature more fun for children.

"We're getting more creative," Smith said. "This year we have a special waterslide for kids."

There also will be eight carnival games, including a blow-up basketball shoot, for children.

Fort Gibson Police set up a dunking booth.

"They're trying to get the mayor at the dunk booth. We'll see what happens with that," said Smith, who also is Fort Gibson mayor.

Festival goers will have more incentive to visit festival vendors this year.

"If you get a $5 passport, you go to nine different vendors to get a stamp, then turn your passport to Corn E. Cobb's Booth," Smith said. "Every hour, Cobb's going to draw a $100 prize."

Fort Gibson area live music acts will perform throughout the festival.

If you go

WHAT: 13th annual Sweet Corn Festival.

WHEN: 4-10 p.m. Friday; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.

WHERE: Downtown Fort Gibson.

SCHEDULE

Friday

—6 p.m. — Opening ceremonies, national anthem.

—7:10 p.m. — Ahna Jennings, Clinkenbeard Century 21 Stage.

—8:15 p.m. — Corn Shucking Contest.

Saturday

—10 a.m — Opening ceremonies, including Sky Diving with the National Colors.

—10 a.m. — Mountain Grove Bluegrass Band, Clinkenbeard Century 21 Stage.

—Noon — Sister Stone, Clinkenbeard Century 21 Stage.

—2 p.m. — Cory Lee, Clinkenbeard Century 21 Stage.

—4 p.m. — Not So Scale, Clinkenbeard Century 21 Stage.

—6 p.m. — Corn Eating Contest.

—7 p.m. — Billy Arnett Band, Clinkenbeard Century 21 Stage.

Passport $100 drawings announced every hour on the hour.