Date/Time
Date(s) - 08/28/2025
5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Location
McFerren Park
Categories
The 2025 Hoopeston National Sweet Corn Festival will be held August 25 – September 1, 2025.
The Hoopeston Sweetcorn Festival is unique in that, besides the normal carnival, demolition derby, Grand Parade and other events, they cook approximately 50 tons of sweetcorn with an antique steam engine and distribute the corn FREE. All events take place at the McFerren Park, located at west Penn Street and IL Route 1.
Festival Schedule
Thursday, August 28, 2025
5:00 pm – Gates, Midway, Vendor, and Food Area Opens
5:00 pm – 10:00 pm – Carnival Ride Special
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm – Bingo (Jaycees Shelter)
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm – Souvenir & 50/50 Sales (Jaycees Shelter)
10:00 pm – Midway, Vendor, and Food Area Closes
Friday, August 29, 2025
5:00 pm – Gates, Midway, Vendor, and Food Area Opens
5:00 pm – 11:00 pm – Carnival Ride Special
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Bingo (Beer Tent)
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm – Kolten Taylor Band (Beer Tent)
11:00 pm – Midway, Vendor, and Food Area Closes
Saturday, August 30, 2025
6:00 am – Flea Market Opens
6:30 am – 7:30 am – Bill Orr Memorial 5K Registration
7:30 am – 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk (Main/Market)
8:00 am – Bill Orr Memorial 5K (Main/Market)
8:00 am – 1:00 pm – Car Show Registration (Southeast Corner of McFerren Park)
8:45 am – Little Corn Eaters Run (Main/Market)
9:00 am – Gates Open
10:30 am – Grand Parade (Downtown)
12:00 pm – Midway, Vendor, and Food Area Opens
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Carnival Ride Session 1
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Doc Ashton and the Root Canals (Center Stage)
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Souvenir & 50/50 Sales (Center Stage)
1:30 pm – 5:00 pm – FREE SWEETCORN!
3:00 pm – Car Show Awards (Southeast Corner of McFerren Park)
3:00 pm – Grandstand and Beer Tent Opens
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Afro D & Global Soundwaves (Center Stage)
5:00 pm – Demolition Derby (Annex)
5:00 pm – 11:00 pm – Carnival Ride Session 2
6:30 pm – National Sweetheart Pageant Preliminary Competition (Civic Center)
11:00 pm – Midway, Vendor, Food Area, and Beer Tent Closes
Sunday, August 31, 2025
8:00 am – Flea Market Opens
9:00 am – Gates Open
11:00 am – Kid’s Fishing Derby Registration (Crabtree Shelter)
12:00 pm – Midway, Vendor, and Food Area Opens
12:00 pm – Kid’s Fishing Derby (Lagoon)
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Carnival Ride Special Session 1
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – FREE SWEETCORN!
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm – Jaycees Soundtrack (Center Stage)
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Souvenir & 50/50 Sales (Center Stage)
1:00 pm – Ponytail Contest (Center Stage)
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Princess Ariel Meet & Greet (Center Stage)
2:30 pm – Kids’ Pie Eating Contest (Center Stage)
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm – James Michael Travis Band (Center Stage)
3:00 pm – Grandstand and Beer Tent Opens 5:00 pm – Demolition Derby
5:00 pm – 11:00 pm – Carnival Ride Special Session 2
6:30 pm – National Sweetheart Pageant Finals (Civic Center)
9:00 pm – National Sweetheart Pageant Awards (Civic Center)
11:00 pm – Midway, Vendor, Food Area, and Beer Tent Closes
Monday, September 1, 2025
8:00 am – Flea Market Opens
9:00 am – Gates Open
9:30 am – 10:15 am – Cream of the Crop Pretty Baby Contest Registration (Civic Center)
10:30 am – Cream of the Crop Pretty Baby Contest (Civic Center)
12:00 pm – Midway, Vendor, and Food Area Opens
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Carnival Ride Special Session 1
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm – The Woodchips (Center Stage)
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – FREE SWEETCORN!
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Souvenir & 50/50 Sales (Center Stage)
12:30pm – 1:00 pm – Duck Race Sales (Crabtree Shelter)
1:00 pm – Duck Race (Lagoon)
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Bingo (Jaycees Shelter)
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – The Back Paiges (Center Stage)
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Carnival Ride Special Session 2
7:00 pm – Vendor Area Closes 9:00 pm – Midway Closes
For more details click here.
Please remember that events may be canceled or rescheduled last minute due to unpredictable weather or other factors. We encourage you to reach out to event organizers before heading out to an event to verify it is still happening.
