The 58th Annual Cokato Corn Carnival will be Monday-Wednesday, Aug. 13-15. A number of activities are planned at Peterson Park, in downtown Cokato, the locale for the carnival. Events begin on Sunday, Aug. 12, with a community-wide ecumenical worship service at 7 p.m. on the main stage in Peterson Park. Monday, Aug. 13, the parades take center stage. The Kiddie parade begins at 6 p.m., followed by the main parade (the parade route this year returns to Broadway Avenue, commencing at 7th Street East, north to 2nd Street, east to Millard Avenue, and ending at Peterson Park). Immediately following the end of the parades will be entertainment by Rachel Kurtz on the main stage, sponsored by the Cokato Ministerial Association. The food stands and midway rides in the park will also be open Monday evening. Activities for Tuesday begin at noon when the midway and rides open. Food stands will also be open beginning in the afternoon. Registration for the children’s prize drawings runs from noon-3 p.m., with drawings at 3:15 p.m. The culmination of the day will be the 60th Annual Miss Cokato Coronation ceremony, on the main stage, beginning at 8 p.m. Introduction of visiting royalty, farewells from reigning princesses Sara Schwan, Kezia Kirkpatrick, and queen Brooke Peterson, and the crowning of the 2007-08 royalty are part of the ceremony. Ending the day is the drawing for the four $100 prizes at 10 p.m. Wednesday’s activities begin in the afternoon with the children’s prize drawings, midway and rides, and food stands. Registration for the children’s prize drawings runs from noon-3 p.m., with drawings at 3:15 p.m. At 2 p.m., The Amazing Jeffo will entertain children of all ages at the main stage prior to the prize drawings. A corn-on-the-cob eating contest will take place in front of the main stage at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening’s entertainment schedule begins with the Mid Minnesota Concert Band at 7 p.m., followed by the band Diamond Rio beginning at 8 p.m. All music acts will be on the main stage. The finale of the carnival arrives at 10 p.m., Wednesday, with the drawing for the cash prizes ($1,000, $1,500, and $2,500; along with seven $50 alternate prizes) and the separate drawing for 2007 Ford Fusion. Carnival attendees are eligible for the cash prize drawings and the free corn-on- the-cob, served from 4-9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday by purchasing an official Corn Carnival button for $3. Tickets for the drawing of the 2007 Ford Fusion are still available. Anyone interested in purchasing a ticket should call Darlene Larson or Dana Pettit at Holt Tours, (320) 286-5315. Cost per ticket is $100. For a complete summary of carnival activities and lots of fun facts about past carnivals and Cokato royalty, visit the official carnival Web site: www.cokato.mn.us/carnival/.
