Sweetcorn festival headliner announced
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May 23—HOOPESTON — The Hoopeston Jaycee's announced Michael Ray as the headliner for the 79th annual National Sweetcorn Festival
Ray is a multi-platinum country artist, who has charted four No. 1 singles: "Kiss You in The Morning," "Think A Little Less," "One That Got Away" and multi-week chart-topper "Whiskey and Rain."
Ray is coming to Hoopeston, Illinois on Friday, Sept. 1 with Indiana-based Beyond Carolina.
Tickets for the concert start at $20 if purchased in advance. Tickets are on sale now at www.hoopestonjaycees.com.
About National Sweetcorn Festival
The National Sweetcorn Festival originated in 1941 through an adaptation of the original Hoopeston Sweetcorn Festival. The first festival, in 1938, was organized by city businessmen to promote business in Hoopeston and to celebrate the yearly harvest of sweetcorn. The Festival was discontinued during World War II and later reorganized under the sponsorship of the Hoopeston Jaycees.
As is common to most festivals in this area, a pageant was held to name a local girl, chosen by popular vote of the persons in attendance, to reign over the celebration. In 1939, local judges were responsible for selection of the Sweetcorn Queen.
In 1940, the canning and canning-related industries of Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Iowa, and Wisconsin were persuaded to send a contestant to Hoopeston to vie for the title. Since the festival and pageant now had persons in attendance from several states, the name
"Hoopeston Sweetcorn Festival" was changed in 1941 to the "National Sweetcorn Festival" and "Miss Sweetcorn" became "National Sweetheart."
The Junior Chamber of Commerce assumed the sponsorship of the festival and pageant following World War II and has continued to the present. They followed the same format until 1952, when the Jaycees invited the 1st runners-up from their respective states' Miss America pageants. At the same time, judges from the Miss America circuit were invited to judge the pageant. The idea was to bring national recognition to the pageant, as well as provide a training pageant for girls who may wish to reenter their states' Miss America competition in future years. The same traditions and goals remain a vital part of the National Sweetheart Pageant today.
Eight contestants from the National Sweetheart Pageant have become Miss America. Pam Eldred, Miss America 1970; Rebecca King, Miss America 1974; Grace E. Ward, Miss America 1982; Debrah L. Turner, Miss America 1990; Carolyn Sapp, Miss America 1992; Leanza Cornett, Miss America 1993; Tara Dawn Holland, Miss America 1997 and Katie Marie Harman, Miss America 2002.
The Sweetcorn Festival is unique in that, besides the normal carnival, demolition derby, Grand Parade and other events, approximately 50 tons of sweetcorn are cooked with an antique steam engine and distribute the corn for free. All events take place at the McFerren Park, located at west Penn Street and Illinois 1.
Find out more about the festival and the concert by visiting www.HoopestonJaycees.org/festival or by following them on Facebook.
About Michael Ray
Forged on the small stages of Florida's rural communities, Michael Ray has created an impressive foundation. Four No. 1 songs — RIAA Platinum-certified "Think a Little Less," RIAA Platinum-certified "Whiskey And Rain," RIAA Gold-certified "Kiss You in the Morning," RIAA Gold-certified "One That Got Away" — with over 1 billion global streams, over 650,000 album equivalents, and over 150 million YouTube views, he is a true country star who's performed at the Grand Ole Opry more than 65 times. Looking to expand his sound, Ray sought out CMA Album of the Year Award-winning producer Michael Knox. The pair have taken his brand of country to a new level for Dive Bars & Broken Hearts, Ray's six song EP arriving June 23 via Warner Music Nashville. Currently on the road headlining shows through the summer, he's taking his music where it matters: to the people.
