Sunshine brings out corn eaters

Hundreds attend annual festival

By Rob Seetoo
Poughkeepsie Journal

 

Lorri O'Toole photos/Poughkeepsie Journal Charmello Nisbeth, 11, of Jamaica, enjoys an ear of corn Sunday at the Beacon corn festival. She was visiting her aunt, Bridget Moore, of Beacon.

BEACON -- Stifling heat Sunday -- the sun was high with the temperature in the low 90s -- didn't dampen the enjoyment for hundreds of people at the annual corn festival.

About a dozen booths offering jewelry, tie-dye clothing, political opinions and, of course, corn, lined a small section of Beacon's Waterfront Park. No matter what was available to buy or listen to, shade was the hottest commodity.

Peter Jimenez of Beacon appreciated many things the small but lively festival had to offer.

''The music. The arts. The corn,'' Jimenez said.

For more than 20 years, the festival has been put on by the Beacon Sloop Club as a fund-raiser. It's the summer complement to the strawberry festival, which is held during late spring, and the pumpkin festival, which is held in the fall.

Club president Phyllis Newham was pleased with the turnout Sunday.

''It's been very good. I didn't think they would come because it's so hot, but they did,'' Newham said.

A steady stream of people was coming into the sliver of park on the Hudson River. Around 4 p.m., the Metro-North parking lot at the Beacon station next to the park was full of cars.

''People have been sort of coming and going all day long,'' Newham said.

Of the dozen or so booths set up, several were of the issue-oriented variety, including the Albany-based New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty.

Frances Sandiford, a member of the group, said events like the corn festival are valuable because they help to spread awareness of opposition to the death penalty. Sometimes, the group is even able to enlist new members, or at least get people to sign a petition.

''We find it very productive,'' Sandiford said.

Also on hand were members of Bannerman's Island Trust Inc. with T-shirts and posters of the island, along with sign-up sheets for membership.

Family events praised

Fran Marcinak, head of membership for the group, said these types of festivals benefit the community.

''I think it's wonderful anytime you can come out with your family to something that doesn't cost very much,'' she said.

The festival was free to attend and the food reasonable. The most expensive nibbles cost about $5.

Rashaan Bennett, a Hyde Park native, was impressed by the diversity at the festival.

''It's nice to see such a diverse group of people here enjoying themselves. The Hudson Valley needs more of that. That's cool,'' Bennett said.

Oh, and the corn.

There were 1,000 ears from Red Oaks Mill Farm shucked and ready for consumption at the beginning of the six-hour festival. Two huge pots bubbled away.

''By the end of the day, there won't be any left,'' Sloop Club Vice President Tom LeBarr said.