Festival organizers did not have permission from the school district to hold the festival on its grounds because of the construction project, Keller said. This spring, organizers notified vendors that the festival would be canceled. An announcement was made about the festival’s cancellation on South Vienna’s village website.
The Northeastern PK-12 building is set to open this fall as students return to school, but construction of the school’s grounds is still in progress.
Creation of the parking lot and main driveway, which are halfway finished, is expected to be completed by mid-September, according to Northeastern Local School District communications representative Steffanie Stratton.
Grading and other site work are tentatively slated to be done by mid-November, with full use of the grounds expected by late Spring 2023, Stratton said.
Corn Festival leaders considered moving the festival to another place in town, but lacked an abundance of power outlets and water sources like what is used for the festival on the school’s grounds, Keller said.
Last year’s event was the 44th annual festival, featuring live music, a parade, rides and plenty of corn and other food near the former South Vienna Elementary School site. Festivities were also adjusted last year due to construction, bringing rides and vendors closer to the road.
Keller said she and others behind the South Vienna Corn Festival are looking forward to next year’s event and the construction of the new Northeastern Local School District building.
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