HANOVER, MA – It was a day full of sunshine, family fun, and lots of corn this weekend at the 46th Annual South Shore YMCA Corn Festival.
Hundreds of families wandered through the festival, located this year at the South Shore YMCA Emilson branch and Family Farm in Hanover. Activities included pony rides, hay wagon rides, a hay maze, games, crafts, and more. Performers and demonstrators, including popular area musicians, storytellers, and more welcomed and entertained the multigenerational crowd. Festival goers feasted on the SSYMCA Natural Science Center’s “world famous” corn chowder, experimented with growing corn in the Corn Lab, and met farm animals up close, a traditional farm life experience brought to center stage.
“It was so great to see our community come together to enjoy Corn Festival,” said Emilson YMCA Associate Executive Director Ashley Genrich Bishop, who attended Corn Festival with her own family. “This was our first year hosting Corn Festival at the Emilson Y branch, and our staff worked so hard to make it a fun, memorable day. We’re looking forward to building this event for years to come.”
Local businesses and families put their creativity to the test in the first South Shore YMCA Community Scarecrow contest, with guest judge Mark Olivieri of the Patriot Ledger. Coastal Heritage Bank won the award for Best Scarecrow for their “Mr. Moneybags” Monopoly-themed scarecrow.
“Providing families with activities that let them play, discover, and stay active together at any age is what we do every day at the Y,” said South Shore YMCA President and CEO Paul Gorman. The South Shore YMCA offers free family-centric activities and events each week for family members across the South Shore at the Emilson Y in Hanover, Hale Family Y in Quincy, South Shore Early Learning Centers in Hanover and Quincy, the SSYMCA Natural Science Center in Norwell, and Laura’s Center for the Arts and SSYMCA Family Farm, both located in Hanover. For a full list visit ssymca.org/familyfun.
“Special thanks to our sponsors, presenting partners, and volunteers,” said Dan Berry, Executive Director of the Emilson YMCA. “It was wonderful to bring together their talent and support to create a joyful family event that entertained thousands.” Participating partners included Big Ryan’s Puppet Show, South Shore Woodturners, Kodiak Carving, Cross Street Flower Farm, Sullivan’s Castle Island, Mom-on-the-Go, Lolly Jolly Waffles, Geminelle Designs Face Painting, A Childs Play Alpacas, Paul Morgan, The Silverbacks, Mordechai Lincoln Band, Hansen Farms, with sponsors Bostonian Cleaning & Restoration, Cambridge Savings Bank, and South Shore Bank.
“We had a blast at Corn Festival,” said Cecilia Briggs, South Shore YMCA member and mother of three. “My children loved the variety of activities, we stayed for 5 hours! It was such a great day for us as a family, we’ll be back next year!”
“There’s no better feeling than seeing families and children enjoying time together at the Y,” said Genrich Bishop “Our Y is a place where the families can have fun and make memories together, and Corn Festival was a prime example of that.”
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About the South Shore YMCA
The South Shore YMCA is a not-for-profit association of individuals dedicated to improving the quality of life for all through programs that promote healthy spirit, mind, and body. Serving the communities of Quincy, Randolph, Holbrook, Weymouth, Braintree, Milton, Hingham, Hull, Cohasset, Scituate, Norwell, Hanover and beyond, the South Shore Y provides the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive through its services and programs. Financial Assistance is a Y community benefit available to all families in need, applicable to all Y programs and services. To learn more about the South Shore YMCA, visit www.ssymca.org. The South Shore YMCA. The Better You Belongs Here.
