Before Fall Fest, There Was Corn Carnival
Before Mahomet Music Fest or Fall Fest, Mahomet was most known for its annual Corn Carnival, which typically took place the first weekend in October. Held annually from 1904-1925 and said to attract attendance in the thousands, this harvest festival combined a parade, football and/or baseball games with rival teams, agriculture competitions, and carnival fun.
Competitions took place for first- and second-place corn, but also vegetables like potatoes, cabbage, watermelon, and largest pumpkin. Baked good like pound cake and white bread received prizes. There were often more lighthearted contests, like the “Ladies nail driving contest” that awarded one-half dozen silver spoons, or the “Boys ice-cream eating contest” for 50 cents. A “baby show” ranked best in class for below and above six months old. At least once, a 10-mile motorcycle road race was included in the activities. Perhaps the silliest feature was an “Ugliest Man Competition” that was awarded to one of the carnival committee members, presumably in jest.
Local News Coverage According to Champaign County newspapers across the years, the Mahomet Corn Carnival was quite popular regionally.
At the second-annual Corn Carnival in 1905, “Saturday was a big day and the list of attractions drew a large crowd and there were hundreds of people on the streets until 10 p.m., although the program ended about three hours earlier, the extra time being devoted to disposing of energy which had not been exhausted by three-days fun making.”
1n 1906, the Urbana Courier-Herald reported on a special train full of Urbana residents who rode to Mahomet for the carnival: “On they piled, all aboard was shouted, the bell rang, steam hissed, and one of the jolliest crowds imaginable was seen speeding westward. Mahomet awaited her visitors with open arms and when the special pulled into the village and the Urbana men alighted they were greeted with cheers of welcome. The band burst forth with a lively composition and the scene was one of unadulterated merriment.”
Following the weekend’s conclusion, the Urbana Courier-Herald reported that the carnival was “pronounced a success from start to finish, in every detail. A grand time was enjoyed by everybody and the Mahomet people proved themselves capable entertainers.”
That same year, the “comic parade” was described in The Champaign Daily News as “excruciatingly funny.” Later in the newspaper coverage of that year’s carnival, it was described as “a whirlwind of fun in which confetti throwing featured prominently.”
In 1911, the Champaign Daily Gazette covered the Mahomet Corn Carnival with the headline “Mahomet Fair Great Success,” subhead “Best of Order Prevailed During the Week, It Being Unnecessary to Make Any Arrests and All Enjoyed Themselves.” The article reiterated, “There was not a single arrest made during the three days, which shows well for the behavior of the crowds.” Such emphasis begs the question: were prior years rife with illegal behavior?
Photo Retrospective In case those lively written perspectives don’t paint a vivid enough picture of the seemingly raucous carnival, archival photographs show the streets of Mahomet as they were filled with fun.
In the present day, our Village festivals still prove fun, drawing large regional crowds and providing ample opportunity for celebration. Next week, Mahomet-Seymour High School celebrates Homecoming with a parade, powder puff football games, and more. While it may not feature prizes for corn and pumpkins (or cute babies), our town might still aim for “unadulterated merriment.”
Sources
“Corn Carnival a Great Success.” The Champaign Daily News. Vol. X. No. 63. 1 October 1904.
“Justin Rayburn Ugliest Officer.” The Champaign Daily News. Vol. X. No. 63. 7 October 1906.
Pasley, Gregory James. “Corn Festivals.” Diggin’ up Bones, Vol II. Self-Published, 2015.
Pasley, Gregory James. “The Grand Corn Carnival of 1904, the best one we ever had.” Diggin’ up Bones, Vol. V. Self-Published, 2024.
“Mahomet Fair Great Success.” Champaign Daily Gazette. 9 October 1911.
“Urbana Pays Visit.” Urbana Courier-Herald Vol. X No. 28. 5 October 1906.
“State Senator Here.” Urbana-Courier Herald. Vol. X. No. 30. 8 October 1906.
“Three Days for Mahomet Show.” Champaign Daily News. 20 September 1910.
Second and fifth images courtesy of the Champaign County History Museum. First, third, and fourth images courtesy of Champaign County Historical Archives.
