3 Things You Will Love At Colorado’s Olathe Sweet Corn Fest

Since 1990, Western Colorado has known that summer is not over until we have had a chance to enjoy our all-you-can-eat sweet corn at the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival.

The day we have all been waiting for is coming up on August 23rd, when the 35th Olathe Sweet Corn Festival returns to the Montrose Rotary Club Amphitheater at Cerise Park. Keep scrolling to check out my favorite things about the festival that you'll be able to enjoy with your family, too.

Thing #1: The Sweet, Sweet Corn Tradition That Started It All

The best part of the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival is the "Olathe Sweet" (a hybrid variety of real non-GMO corn). It's super sweet and tender, hand-picked, and soaked in Colorado sunshine, which is what helps make it so sweet. 

According to Colorado Country Life, each summer, the volunteers with Tuxedo Corn have made a tradition of growing, hand-picking, roasting, and serving more than 8,000 ears of corn (at no cost). Their generosity is just as sweet as the corn itself. In 2019, the festival moved down the road to Montrose’s Cerise Park and Montrose Rotary Amphitheater to provide more room for vendors, attendees, and facilities better suited for live music and entertainment.

Thing #2: All-Day Family-Friendly Festivities

The festival fun starts this Saturday at 9 a.m. with the Hero 5K Run/Walk. The event is held in honor of the Olathe Police Department, with proceeds benefiting community safety and helping to provide life-saving equipment. Register for the 5K at the Sweet Corn Festival website.

Once the run/walk ends, the fun ramps up. Corn-eating contests, karaoke, a pageant, a crazy hat parade, a car show, balloon artists, and other family-friendly attractions—all set to a live music soundtrack that has included acts like Dave’s Fault, Ghost River Band, and Dave Jordan, according to Step Outside. The best part of the entire day, however, is that the corn and the fun are FREE. All-you-can-eat roasted Olathe Sweet Corn with as much butter and salt as you like is FREE all day long.

Get our free mobile app

Thing #3: A Celebration of Community & Colorado Ag Heritage

Read More: Sweet Tradition: When Will Colorado's Olathe Sweet Corn Be Ready?

It's easy to see why we say #WestSlopeBestSlope around here. The generosity of Tuxedo Corn, the free Olathe festival hosted by Montrose, the the gift of over 8,000 ears of corn to feed all the party people in attendance is so cool. The Olathe Sweet Corn Festival is a tribute to Montrose County ag and the farmers and volunteers who keep our Colorado traditions going.