NYM C&C to host annual corn feed on Friday night

By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

Once again, the New York Mills Civic and Commerce Association will be serving up hot buttered sweet corn for its annual corn feed on Friday, Aug. 16 from 4-7 p.m.

The corn feed, which has been going on for several decades, is the Civic and Commerce’s capstone for the busy summer season. The event will be hosted at the VFW on the north side of Highway 10. Delicious sweet corn from Buehler’s Produce of Ottertail will be available dripping with butter for each hungry participant, free of charge. Additional food and drinks including burgers will be available for purchase from the VFW.

Latham Hetland, Civic and Commerce president, mentioned that there will be some other highlights of the evening which will include multiple vendors, games, and the annual Puppet Pageant put on by the NYM Regional Cultural Center.

“The Cultural Center is going to have ice cream,” said Hetland. “The Senior Center will be there with pie and ice cream. The VFW will be serving burgers in the back, usually there’s some eclectic wares, some trinkets, some games for the kids.”

Along with the food and vendors, the annual Puppet Pageant will take place at the Corn Feed starting at 7 p.m. The annual Pageant is a homage to the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, featuring stories about the legendary Väinömöinen and other fun family friendly stories.

Hetland mentioned that the event wouldn’t come together each year without the help of many local supporters and volunteers.

“Mills Country Market helps with the trailer and all the supplies,” said Hetland, “the City makes sure we have all the equipment and everything set up, the VFW hosts us, the Cultural Center. All the vendors and volunteers too.”

Hetland also mentioned that there are quite a few volunteers needed to pull the event off. With a couple dozen people involved, it takes a good crew to make sure everything works out smoothly.

“It’s quite a few actually, we usually have 10 people shucking corn throughout the day,” he said. “Then we have three groups of three people serving throughout the night, then a crew for the cleanup, so there’s probably 20 people.”

Those interested in volunteering for the event are welcome to call Hetland at (218) 385-2300 to sign up for shucking corn, serving, or clean up. Volunteers will be needed prior to, during, and after the event for any and all of these jobs.

“The corn is really good,” said Hetland of the main event. “It just tastes so good. We get a truckload of corn and we don’t take any home with us at the end of the night.”

“The shucking corn is really fun, because everyone just goes crazy,” he said. “People come out of the woodwork and it’s just great. Last year, I even got to eat a burger before we started serving,” he laughed.

Hetland said that he enjoys seeing the event grow each year and working with all of the local vendors, volunteers, and community partners.

“Seeing the event continue to grow,” he said, “working with the Cultural Center and seeing what they come up with every year. It’s just such a great community event. I think the more community events we have and the more opportunities we have for families to gather, the more connected we are as a community.”

“I think it helps people see what’s happening in the community and meeting people and building connections. That’s what I love most about the corn feed.”