Alice Schmidt of DeKalb first attended the DeKalb Corn Fest in the late 1970s, working as a nurse in the first aid booth. Schmidt loved the festival so much, she went again the next year – and again the year after that.

Schmidt has been attending and volunteering at Corn Fest for more than 30 years. A past chairwoman and current Corn Fest board member, Schmidt is this year’s volunteer coordinator.

“After attending that first year and having so much fun, I have attended every year after that,” Schmidt said. “My children went to Corn Fest, and now my grandchildren come, even though they live out of the area. The entire family comes to the fest, it’s become our summer tradition.”

The festival began in 1960 as a small corn boil. The event, known then as the DeKalb Corn Boil, was sponsored by the Downtown Association and California Packing Corp. and six tons of corn were boiled. In 1972, sidewalk sales were held in conjunction with the festival and DelMonte began to donate corn for the boil.

In 1977, the event’s name was changed to DeKalb Corn Fest. In 2009, the corn boil part of the event was renamed in honor of Chuck Siebrasse, a lifelong DeKalb resident, past chairman of Corn Fest and chairman of the corn boil for 25 years.

Corn Fest has grown each year and now attracts tens of thousands of people not only from DeKalb County, but also from across Illinois. The event remains one of the last free summer music festivals in Illinois and was named one of Best Things Illinois’ top 15 free things to do in the state.

The 40th annual DeKalb Corn Fest will be held Friday, Aug. 25, to Sunday, Aug. 27, in downtown DeKalb between First and Fourth streets on Lincoln Highway. During this year’s celebration, 20,000 ears, or more than 70 tons, of steamed sweet corn donated by DelMonte will be given away for free during the Chuck Siebrasse Corn Boil from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26.

Other features include a carnival, more than 100 vendors, a car show, tours of historical downtown DeKalb, a bags tournament, performances on the community and sound stages and a family-friendly beer garden.

Over the years a number national musical acts have graced the Corn Fest Sound Stage. Past performers include Phil Vassar, Lady Antebellum, Travis Tritt, Joan Jett, Survivor, Night Ranger, Blue Oyster Cult, .38 Special, The Marshall Tucker Band, Leon Russell, Koko Taylor, Jefferson Starship, Greg Kihn, The Smithereens, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Eddie Money and The Grass Roots.

This year’s Sound Stage performances include The Party Doctors, 7th Heaven and Uncle Kracker on Friday, The Beaux Band, Soap Stone, Destination Unknown, Catfight, Too White Crew and Hi Infidelity on Saturday and Tristin Bushman, The Swon Brothers and Thompson Square on Sunday. There is a $5 admission to the sound stage each day, with children age 12 and younger admitted free, or everyone can watch and listen to the bands for free from Locust Street.

DeKalb Corn Fest Chairwoman Lisa Angel remembers attending Corn Fest with her family as a young girl and remembers the corn boil, vendors and having so much fun, she couldn’t wait to attend the following summer.

“People come back year after year, it’s become a family tradition for many, including me and my family,” Angel said. “People come from not only DeKalb, but from the suburbs, Rockford and Chicago. High school and Northern Illinois University classes hold their reunions on Corn Fest weekend because they remember attending it then and want to continue the tradition.”

Another Corn Fest tradition is to give a portion of the weekend’s proceeds to one local family and two nonprofit organizations. This year, the proceeds will benefit the DeKalb Firefighters Historical Foundation, DeKalb’s Police Benevolent and Protective Association and the family of Ata Shakir, a DeKalb High School social studies teacher who died in June at the age of 41 after a four-month battle with cancer.

“Every year, we give back to the community because they help make the event possible,” Angel said. “We could not hold the event without them. This year, there will be more than 300 volunteers, including volunteers from NIU and local organizations.”

Schmidt said what she loves most about the DeKalb Corn Fest is that it is local, affordable and most of all, fun.

“It’s nice to have an enjoyable weekend without leaving town, and the money spent and raised helps the community and local organizations,” Schmidt said. “It’s extremely affordable and family-friendly. Families can enjoy Corn Fest together because there really is something for everybody.”

For information about DeKalb Corn Fest, visit www.cornfest.com or call 815-748-2676.