46th Annual Corn Festival was a sweet success!

HANOVER, OCTOBER 21, 2024 | On a warm and sun-soaked October day, over 1200 people gathered to celebrate the natural and cultural traditions of the New England fall harvest at the South Shore YMCA’s 46^th annual Corn Festival.

Hundreds of families enjoyed a full slate of events and activities designed to highlight the significant role corn has played throughout the agricultural history of Massachusetts. Guests were able to explore the 30+ acres of the Emilson Y campus and trek along a half-mile storybook nature trail to the Y’s Family Farm to enjoy local music, wood carving, local food trucks, face painting, hayrides, plus corn- and fall-themed games. Kids enjoyed riding ponies, petting farm animals with 4H, zipping through the hay maze, and, most importantly, diving and digging into a corn pit of fun.

“We had a wonderful time sharing all things corn with so many of our friends in the community of Hanover and surrounding towns,” said Ashley Genrich, Associate Executive Director of the Emilson YMCA branch. “We love having the opportunity to open our campus to so many people on such a wonderful day.”

And no celebration of corn would be complete without corn-themed food, including corn pizza, buttered cornbread, and the famous South Shore YMCA Corn Chowder.

The Corn Festival began over 45 years ago at the South Shore YMCA Nature Center in Norwell to raise funds and awareness for the Y’s mission to advance environmental education and fight food insecurity on the south Shore.  When the event outgrew the Nature Center, it moved to its new location at the Emilson Y to incorporate the Y’s Family Farm and accommodate a larger crowd.

As it has for decades, “Professor Jim’s Corn Lab” provided a quality STEM education opportunity to young attendees. Nine-one-year-old volunteer, Jim Spinale, a retired science teacher from the Whitman-Hanson school district, presented corn that has been grown sideways, upside-down, even in the dark, to give kids an opportunity to explore how corn is planted, grown and harvested.

“Thankfully, we had amazing weather as well as some awesome activities and vendors that were able to make the day so special,” said Genrich. “We can’t wait for our upcoming South Shore Y community events, including Cranberry Day on November 9 at the Nature Center in Norwell, and Trunk-or-Treat on October 26 here at the Emilson Y and Hale Family Y in Quincy.”