Strasburg's Corn Fest includes a competition to see who can eat the most ears of corn in four minutes. (Strasburg Corn Fest)

STRASBURG (WJER) - Village officials say their annual festival has grown from a kernel into an anticipated community event. 

The 38th-annual Strasburg Corn Fest kicks off Friday at 5 pm at the village park featuring live entertainment, contests, and of course, corn for sale throughout the festivities to raise funds for the park. Festival Committee member Jennifer Mahoney says there are attractions for everyone to enjoy. 

“We’ll have Ren on our Gazebo Stage. The car show will begin. We have bingo starting at 6, our 5-K run and fun run will kick off at 7 o’clock, and then we’ll finish up with Electric Mud at 8 o’clock on our Beer Garden Stage,” she says.

The activities continue on Saturday starting with the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament at 8am, the Girls Softball Game is at 10 and the Corn Eating Contest begins at 12:30. Mahoney says they’ve had people eat as many as 12 cobs in four minutes.

“It is very impressive. It is a fun event to watch. I know we have a lot of people. The bleachers are there, and they are filled to watch that fun event,” she says.

Mahoney says it costs a dollar to enter the corn eating contest. Pre-registration for the 3-on-3 tournament can be done by calling 330-815-0527. Other events featured Saturday include the Garden Tractor Pull at 1pm, the Rubber Duck Race at 4 and music by Badstone inside the beer garden from 8 to 11pm. 

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