WILMINGTON — It’s time to fire up the festival.
The 42nd Annual Clinton County Corn Festival is set for Friday through Sunday, Sept. 6-8, at the Clinton County Fairgrounds.
Daily admission is $4 (children younger than 12 admitted free); weekend passes are $7.
Below are just a few of the scheduled activities, along with the many booths, vendors, food, sweets and family fun at the fest brought to you by the non-profit Antique Power Club of Clinton County:
Friday
On Friday the gates open at 11 a.m. with the official noon whistle and opening ceremonies at noon, followed by the first scheduled attractions — the working sawmill with steam engine fires up at 1:30 and the sawmill in action at 2 p.m., along with the Belt-Up Contest and Beehive Basics. Wheat Threshing starts at 2:30 p.m. with Straw Baling and the Hand Crank Contest both at 3 p.m. before the huge Fairbanks-Morse engine fires up for the first time this year at 4 p.m.
Quilting demonstrations will be held throughout the weekend.
The king and queen will be crowned at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Antique Tractor Pull sign-in and weigh-in at 6 p.m. — the actual pull begins at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s featured farm equipment manufacturer is Case.
Featured entertainer Johnny Lawless takes the stage from 7:30-9:30 p.m. on the Sound Stage, presented by the Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Friday’s activities conclude with the Steam Engine Spark Show at dusk.
Saturday
The gates open at 8 a.m. Saturday, but a morning highlight is always the parade through town starting at 10 a.m.
The Antique Tractor Pull is at 12:30 p.m., and the afternoon includes everything from the Nail Driving Contest (12:30 p.m.) to the Sack Tying Contest (1 p.m.) to the Cross Cut Saw Contest and the Weapons Firing of the 48th Company C OVI Regiment (both at 1:30 p.m.).
The Pie Eating Contest is at 3:15 p.m.
At 5:30 p.m. teams may start check-in for the annual Corn Olympics — this year with a “Toy Story” theme — with the always fun event beginning at 6 p.m.
As the News Journal reported earlier this week, the location of the Corn Olympics has been moved — from the race track to the special events area which is near the Boy Scouts’ corn booth.
Entertainment of the musical variety starts with David Wayne from 6:15-7:30 p.m.
Headliner Confederate Railroad performs 8-10 p.m., presented by the Clinton County CVB. They will now perform on the Sound Stage, which is being moved to the race track in front of the grandstand.
Sunday
Gates open at 8 a.m. Sunday followed by Worship & Praise at 9 a.m., then the Antique Car Show at 10 a.m.
The Corn Eating Contest is at 12:45 p.m. with the Water Balloon toss at 1:15 p.m., the Tug-O-War at 1:30 p.m. and the Spoon Egg Relay and Egg Toss at 1:45 p.m.
The Wilmingtones perform 2:45-3:15 p.m. and the Fairbanks-Morse engine fires up for the last time in 2019 at 3 p.m.
At 4 p.m. the raffle drawing for quilts is held.
The whole 3-day event wraps up at 5 p.m.
Next year’s festival will be Sept. 11-13.
