By JOLENE CRAIG
Ohio Correspondent

MARIETTA, Ohio — Thousands of people devoured more than 6,000 ears of roasted, buttered corn during the third annual Marietta Sweet Corn Festival July 16-17, on Front Street at Armory Square in downtown Marietta.

“We likely saw between 4,000 and 5,000 people between Friday and Saturday,” said Jessie Bigley, co-chair of the festival committee. “We had 2,000 to 2,500 people Friday night alone.”

All 6,000 ears of sweet corn were grown at the Witten Family Farm near Beverly, Ohio, on Ohio 60 and were donated to the festival to keep costs down. Between the $1 ears of corn and free admission, the cost of a family to attend the festival was low.

“Three years ago a group of citizens got together and decided we wanted to try to have an old-fashioned festival that would give families something fun to do, that would be low in cost and celebrate Marietta’s farming heritage,” Bigley said.

She said the Washington County area was once a “truck farming” location and that crops including beans, potatoes, tomatoes and, of course, sweet corn were prominent in the Ohio River Valley. “We need to celebrate that heritage and remember it,” she said.
All of the corn was roasted, cleaned and buttered for free by Cowboy Concessions and Catering of Whipple, Ohio, with the help of volunteers.

“We sold lots of corn, which is what we were supposed to do,” said volunteer Chris Caldwell. “(Saturday) we sold about 1,000 ears in the first hour-and-a-half.”

While corn-on-the-cob, barbecue, hot dogs and French fries have become a staple of the festival, new this year was sweet corn ice cream. “I thought it would be something different to try,” said Dan Lang, owner of Uncle Dan’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream. “I did a little research and found out there is a sweet corn ice cream in Mexico, but I haven’t tried it.”

Instead, Lang went to his ice cream flavor supplier who made up a sweet corn flavor base for him.

“I took the base and added some corn nuggets for more texture and flavor,” he said.

Rhonda Mears of Marietta tried a sample of the new flavor and said it was interesting. “It tastes like vanilla ice cream with frozen corn,” she said. “It’s good, but wouldn’t be my favorite.”

Along with food, the festival included local crafts vendors and activities for the family, such as corn-on-the-cob eating contests, crafts and corn hole. “We really want to be an event families look forward to,” Bigley said.

Proceeds go to next year’s festival and scholarships for area FFA students. “Since we are raising scholarship money for the students of Washington County, the work in the heat is worth it,” Caldwell said. said. “This is all for the kids.”