WEST POINT — This weekend, happy folks in the delta river region of southeast Iowa, western Illinois and northeastern Missouri can enjoy yet another pandemic shutdown survivor when the immensely popular West Point Sweet Corn Festival returns to the tiny town of West Point.
The annual carnival attracts 25,000 visitors each August with free sweet corn, free entertainment and free live music.
An estimated 36,500 ears of corn are anticipated as dump trucks roll into town throughout the Fest.
Where do all those chomped-down cobs go? To various agricultural processes such as livestock feed.
WPSCF committee member Derek Vandenberg of West Point said there will be plenty of food.
Indeed: The WPSCF is all about eating good Iowa farm chow.
Besides corn on the cob, the Fest features foodtrucks filled with popcorn, cotton candy, brats, pretzels and other goodies.
Vandenberg said highlights include barbecue pork loin dinners by the Lee County Pork Producers, served Thursday from 10 a.m. until the chops are gone; chicken dinners take over Friday through Saturday until 10 p.m. or the chicken runs out, and Sunday until all the chicken is gone.
Shuckfest opened the weekend on Wednesday with 16 tons of fresh corn getting stripped by an estimated 300 shuckers at Merschman Seeds.
"The carnival people have been saying they've had a really good year so far at all the festivals they've been going to," Vandenberg said.
There are plenty of new things to do this year, too.
"New this year we're doing Bags — a Cornhole tournament on Saturday that starts at 3:30, with a cash prize tournament," Vandenberg said.
New rides include the Frog Hopper for small children, a new gondola-style Ferris wheel, the car-based rides "Traffic Jam" and "Speedway" and the Mardi Gras Glass House of mirrors.
As to the pandemic and concerns of the Fest being a "spreader event," Vandenberg said all familiar COVID-19 precautions will be in place.
Thursday's events include the Festival Princess and Queen candidate interviews and coronations from 6 to 7 p.m., followed with a performance by the Holy Trinity Dance Team.
Friday features a sweet corn eating contest open to all ages sponsored by radio station 101.7 The Bull, Raeanne's School of Dance at 5:30 p.m. and Paulette's Dance Studio at 6:15 p.m.
Rock band Andy & the Decades features musicians inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; they'll take the stage at 7 p.m. Friday.
Vandenberg said registration for Saturday's 5K and 10K run is in front of the main stage on Saturday beginning at 6:45 p.m., and registration for the Pee Wee Drags for kids aged 3 to 6 is in front of the stage beginning at 10:30 a.m.; the races begin at 11 a.m.
"That's a big one," Vandenberg said of the tykes on the hoof.
There is a fee for the 5K and 10K runs but the Pee Wee Drags have no entry fee.
Also on Saturday are the Junior Water Fights, ages 7-12, no fee.
Registration for the doubles horseshoe tournament for ages 16 and older begins at 9 a.m., tournament at 10, cash prizes will be awarded.
The Corn Hole Tournament registration for adults 21 and olderbegins at 3 p.m. on the south side of the Park; entry fees source the cash prizes awarded.
A free concert by Whiskey Friends, sponsored by the Pilot Grove Savings Bank, begins at 7 p.m.
Sunday's events begin at 11 a.m. with — you guessed it — more chicken and more corn, the annual Sweet Corn Festival Parade at noon, and the much-anticipated Mini Garden Tractor Pull sponsored by Sinclair Tractor. Weigh-in starts at 1 p.m., the Pull begins at 2 p.m.
The Carnival by Archway Amusem*nts and the Arts & Crafts in The Park vendors begin at 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. on Saturday and noonish on Sunday.
"The vendors in the park is always a main attraction," Vandenberg said.
And there will be plenty of sweet corn ... until it, like the pork and chicken, runs out.
Let the chomping begin.
Proceeds go to the city of West Point for town improvements.
The WPSCF is sponsored by Pilot Grove Savings Bank, Merschman Seeds, Lee County Bank, Lee County Pork Producers, and Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center.
The 2021 West Point Sweet Corn Festival is held in the town square in West Point, Iowa from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday August 12-14 and Sunday August 15 from 11 a.m. until the corn is gone.
Admission is free. So is the sweet corn.
For updates and more information,visit westpointsweetcornfestival.com or wpcornfest on Facebook or email wpcornfest@gmail.com.
Instagram is wpcornfest, hashtag #WPSCF.
