45th annual DeKalb Corn Fest kicks off Friday: ‘We’re one of the last free admission festivals in northern Illinois.’

DeKALB – Thousands are expected to descend on the new-look downtown for the 45th annual DeKalb Corn Fest that kicks off Friday.

Entry to the popular three-day festival that willrun through Sunday is free and family-friendly. However, those wishing to partake in the VIP area that provides food and alcoholic drinks, or line up and enjoy some live music in the sound stage can buy tickets at cornfest.com.

Lisa Angel, organizing chairwoman for the Corn Fest planning committee, said she has a theory about why the event is so popular.

“We’re one of the last free admission festivals in northern Illinois,” Angel said. “Whether you go to Chicago or the suburbs, they charge you just to walk in. We don’t have any charge for coming into the festival.”

Friday’s festivities begin at 3 p.m. and continue through 6 p.m. Sunday in the city’s downtown. The festival also will feature carnival rides, artisan crafts for sale, a beer garden, family activities, a corn boil and more.

Music acts such as Asia Featuring John Payne, Seventh Heaven, Renegade Wildflower, Hi Infidelity, Mike and Joe are expected to descend on the sound stage to offer live music throughout the weekend.

Bill Chaplin was among those expected to hit the stage this weekend, but organizers announced Thursday his show was canceled as he came down with COVID-19.

All shows are free to the public, but the soundstage requires a pass for entry. A daily pass is $10 and the weekend pass is $25.

[ DeKalb Corn Fest 2022: Road closures and what you need to know ]

Other changes include a slight reconfiguration of the festival grounds because of changes to downtown DeKalb. Kid Fest will occupy space at Locust and Third streets instead of Second Street and Lincoln Highway.

For a festival map, visit cornfest.com/fest-info/fest-map/.

Over the summer, portions Lincoln Highway between First and Fourth streets underwent lane reconfiguration, enabling the sidewalks to be expanded and bringing the highway down to three lanes. Major construction on the project is wrapped up.

“I’d say it’s about 95% percent complete,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

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The planter boxes in front of DeKalb City Hall Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, on Lincoln Highway after the recent downtown renovations. (Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com/Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.co)

Traffic opened up to three full lanes along Lincoln Highway as of Aug. 19.

Nicklas said the project should be completed in its entirety by late September or early October when the city receives the steel gradings that are currently backordered.

But generally, the vendor layout of the festival grounds remains the same.

Highlights at the event will include a craft fest, bags tournament, art fest for kids, kids fest and a beer garden.

On Saturday, organizers will put on a corn boil from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. thanks to the DeKalb Corn and Soil Growers and Wessels’ Farm. The Chuck Siebrasse Corn Boil will take place at the corner of Fourth Street and Lincoln Highway. Free steamed corn will be available to all until it runs out.

“It’s definitely a local effort,” Angel said. “They go out and they pick. They shuck the corn and transport it for us. We’re so grateful for that.”

Angel said all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into planning the festival is a team effort.

“It takes 220 volunteers to run this festival, and we’re an all volunteer board as well,” she said. “It just shows how much people not only love the fest but will do what it takes to keep it going.”

A portion of the proceeds raised from this year’s soundstage will benefit the Kishwaukee Family YMCA.

Sponsors for this year’s event include Meta, WDKB, Budweiser, Shaw Media, River Front Jeep and Midwest Tent and Events.

For information, visit cornfest.com.