PHOTOS BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
GRILL MASTERS … Volunteers grill hundreds of chickens in preparation for hungry crowds at Swanton’s annual Corn Festival on Saturday. VIEW 37 PHOTOS OF THIS EVENT FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
MOTOR MENAGERIE … A Ford Mustang Cobra II is flanked by a pair of Pontiac Firebirds – one a 1980 Indianapolis 500 pace car model – during the car show at Swanton’s annual Corn Festival on Saturday.
SCHOOL SPIRIT … Swanton Elementary School’s entry among the downtown decorations for the annual Corn Festival overlooks main street prior to the parade on Saturday.
STRIKE UP THE BAND … The Marching Bulldogs of Swanton High School perform during Saturday’s parade at the annual Swanton Corn Festival.
SWANTON CENTENARIAN … A 100-year-old antique Baker 22-40 gas tractor built by the A.D. Baker Company in Swanton buoys the hometown spirit during the parade at Swanton’s annual Corn Festival on Saturday.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
A bluebird day welcomed attendees to the annual Swanton Corn Festival on Saturday.
This year’s event was themed “Corn & Country” in honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It started with a color run on Thursday, which was followed up with an all-class reunion, alumni softball game, and party in the park on Friday.
Despite the clear skies Saturday, Thursday’s run was preceded by heavy downpours, but event chair Alyssa Walberg said the rain didn’t spoil the fun.
“It was actually perfect, because you have to be wet to run in a color run for the color to stick, and it cleared up right when everybody started to show up,” Walberg said.
Among the main events on Saturday was the parade, which included 71 entries this year. Tri-County Block and Brick took the prize for best parade, followed by the Swanton Sports Center in second place and Kester’s ‘Tis the Season in third.
An annual lamp post decorating contest on Main Street along the parade route brought several entries, but the win was taken by Tano’s Pizza with their giant pizza slice that proclaimed “Proudly serving America one slice at a time.”
The pickleball and volleyball tournaments drew pitched competition, with pickleball drawing four mixed teams and 12 men’s teams, and volleyball drawing nine teams.
Winners of the competitions received gift cards. It was the third year for the pickleball tournament, which took advantage of recent improvements to the courts.
A major, last-minute addition was included in Saturday’s events when Walberg and other organizers decided to take advantage of the clear weather to hold a commemoration for the 100th anniversary of the Spirit of the American Doughboy World War I memorial.
A celebration for the memorial and what it represents was originally scheduled for July 5, but was canceled due to bad weather.
Swanton Mayor Neil Toeppe spoke during the event, pointing out that out of the estimated 390 adult men in Swanton in 1920, about 250 of them – almost two thirds – enlisted, “one of the highest service rates of any community in America.” Of those, 14 never returned.
Toeppe said France presented the memorial to Swanton in recognition of the village’s sacrifice, the only American community to receive a World War I memorial directly from France.
“Notice something about the soldier. He’s not standing still – he’s moving forward. With determination on his face, rifle in one hand and grenade in the other, he represents every American who has stepped forward when duty called,” he said.
Amy Herrick, chaplain at the Swanton American Legion Murbach-Siefert Post 479, also spoke, sharing a prayer which she said included words spoken during the original dedication of the monument and recognition of soldiers lost a century earlier.
“Though their names are etched in grief upon our local hearts, we rejoice in the bond of gratitude that reaches across the Atlantic Ocean.
“We acknowledge with humble hearts the tribute sent by the great nation of France, a gift born of shared sorrow and an unbreakable alliance sealed in the defense of human freedom,” Herrick said.
An honor guard from the Legion fired a three-volley salute and played taps to end the ceremony.
Other events during the festival included a pageant, performances by Melissa’s Dance Academy and Isabella’s Vocal Studio, bands, a cornhole tournament, and a foam dance party.
