In light of Cecelia Hanley’s “corny debate” in today’s Gazette, I found this sweet corn party in Vinton in September 1954. There was a Sweet Corn Queen, political speeches and national media chomping on ears of corn.

 Frank Nye covered the event for a Page One story. I love his description of the day:

They arrived early in the morning for the hour-long parade and they stayed late for the street dance.

   Between times they crowned a queen,  ate sweet corn, ”did” the carnival that occupied a block of  Main street, ate sweet corn, listened to a pair of short political speeches, ate sweet corn, watched a Waterloo drum and bugle corps demonstration, ate sweet corn, lolled in the welcome shade of Benton county’s courthouse, ate sweet corn, just plain got better acquainted with one another and ate sweet corn.

   In fact, anybody who didn’t eat at least two ears of sweet corn was considered a piker. Nobody knows who ate the most ears, but many visitors devoured between four and eight.