Fulton County Ohio Media

It has been almost two weeks since the 2023 Swanton Corn Festival (SCF) filled a beautiful August Saturday with a great parade followed by all kinds of family fun activities, sports competitions, delicious food choices, arts and crafts vendors and hours of wonderful entertainment from bands and solo artists.  Hopefully, there has been enough time for the SCF Committee chairs and their dozens of hard-working volunteers to decompress and return to a “normal” life.  However, given the tremendous number of hours they all put in, the stress and anxiety levels they experienced that come with putting together the Village’s biggest celebration of the year, and all the time knowing they would be at the mercy of Mother Nature, it may take a little bit longer.

The enormous scope of the Corn Festival requires the planning and organizing to begin months before the actual event.  Meetings are scheduled, roles and responsibilities are established and a time table is put together.  The closer to the date, the more hours are required as the coordination with the Village, local businesses, Swanton schools, vendors and parade participants becomes finely tuned.  For the volunteer committee members, the entire process culminates with a 16-hour day of organized chaos.  Last minute changes are implemented and decisions are made on the fly to deal with inevitable unexpected.  Oh, yes.  Then on Sunday there is dealing with the aftermath, the cleanup.

It makes you wonder what kind of individual would put forth this type of effort and, step up year after year with a repeat performance.  It is somebody with a fulltime job, family commitments and other things they could be doing. Yet, it is also someone that cares about their community, cares about their family, friends and neighbors and wants their town to shine in a positive light. 

Shortly before the big day they receive a payout for their efforts.  A t-shirt.  Typically, a nice looking brightly-colored t-shirt with Swanton Corn Festival theme-inspired artwork along with the date for a precise reference.  And they are proud to wear them.  The Village of Swanton is very fortunate to have a lot of long-time residents that could fill a closet with their well-earned t-shirts.  If there is one thing every volunteer would covet more than that t-shirt, it would be a “Thank you.” from anyone who enjoyed themselves during the Swanton Corn Festival.  Do not be shy.  Appreciation is the best gift one can give.

Photo: Swanton Corn Festival Chair People in the T-Shirts of course, Alyssa Walberg, Alan Robasser and Stephanie Fessenden