Thousands of individuals, spanning from young to old, roamed the streets of Uptown Normal a few months ago, each carrying a freshly made cob of corn that emanated with the joy of another successful summer harvest. Brick facades served as a quaint backdrop to the bustling crowds below, and many gathered to watch near-superhuman feats performed by the Gamma Phi Circus. The beating heart of Normal was buzzing with excitement as street vendors peddled their wares and children played in Uptown Circle.
The Sweet Corn Circus was in town.
I came late on day one of the festival to scope it out, and I was immediately impressed. I first grabbed a free cob of sweet corn with my student ID, and it was fresh, hot and quite tasty. I’m not the biggest fan of corn, but it had some good, sweet undertones and wasn’t just haphazardly slathered in butter like much of the corn I’ve had in the past.
My only complaint is that the corn was incredibly hot, to the point that my front teeth hurt when biting into it. After it cooled down a bit I enjoyed the corn a lot more, even if I felt like a maniac walking around while violently biting into it. Free is truly the best price, and for students there’s only one thing that I would consider a better value at the festival: the Kettle corn.
For just $2 I got a sizeable bag from Glado’s Original Kettle Corn, certainly enough for one person. The Kettle corn was fresh and hot, which is a prerequisite for this genre of popcorn. It was also seasoned to perfection; it had a great balance between its sweet and salty components.
It wasn’t overcooked and it had a good crunch. Unless your financial situation is akin to that of a child laborer during the Gilded age, the Kettle corn is a must-buy next year.
Since I came at the very end of day one, those were my only purchases. That night I dreamt of bathing in an ocean of pure sweet corn bliss, entertained by a circus troupe that seemingly never tired.
The next day I started with lunch, which was catfish. The fish had a crunchy outside and flaky interior. The coating was vaguely savory and could’ve benefited from a little more seasoning. The fries were a poor man’s version of what Portillo’s offers. A slice of bread was also included with the meal, and it was quite plain.
Adding some type of compound butter or switching it out for Texas toast would’ve helped the bread be a little less of an afterthought. It was a decent lunch, but for $18 I was disappointed.
Gamma Phi Circus’ performance was truly wonderful. It had a musical theme, and the singing and choreography were impressive. My personal favorite part was the juggling, especially when a few of the jugglers stood on top of these large balls and juggled with a partner on the ground.
There were also some sketches which featured slapstick and physical comedy, to varying degrees of success. There was also unicycle, bike tricks and jumping stunts involving trampolines and large, springy boots. All the performers clearly had a ton of passion and fun while doing their respective acts, and it was a fun atmosphere in general.
Perhaps an underrated aspect among the circus acts and corn was the location of the festival. I enjoyed that all the food trucks were positioned around Uptown Circle so that I could easily take a tour of my options.
I finished off my time at the festival with some Oreo ice cream from Carl’s. It was incredibly good, perhaps influenced by the fact I had been in the sun for hours. The ice cream had a smooth yet firm structure. It wasn’t hard like Cold Stone, or the freezer burnt tub of Breyer’s that you’ve had for months.
It wasn’t quite soft serve, and that’s my favorite texture for ice cream. I dislike having to give any considerable effort when biting into ice cream or waiting for it to melt a little. The Oreo pieces weren’t crunchy, which I also prefer.
The flavor was excellent. The cream served as a canvas for the cookies to shine, and neither aspect overpowered the other. It allowed me to end the festival on a sweet note.
I did one final lap around the festival, passing the large dumpster filled to the brim with corn scraps, indicating a successful event. The jubilation ceased, the corn stopped being made and volunteers and employees alike began to pack up. While the flow of sweet corn may have stopped, the memories made by friends and family alike will serve as delicious kernels to be enjoyed for the rest of their lives.
And when the winds of celebration come back next August, you’ll find me back in Uptown Normal to enjoy one of Illinois’ most iconic agricultural staples.