Gillett’s 2018 Corn Roast
My First Time at the Annual Corn Roast, What an Experience!
In all my years of living in Gillett, I have never had the opportunity to attend the annual corn roast-until now. Now that I have, I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by what I found-and what I learned about the event’s history.
Supporting our Local Firefighters
The Gillett Sportsman’s Club had hosted the corn roast for several years (30-40). About 4 years ago, the Gillett Area Firefighter’s Association (GAFA) was approached about continuing the event: the sportsman’s club membership was dwindling, but they really wanted to see the roast continue. GAFA puts proceeds from the corn roast towards the purchase of equipment departments many need outside of their regular budgets.
One does not need to be a fireman to join GAFA-anyone who wishes to show support to the fire departments can join! GAFA meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 pm at the City of Gillett Firehouse on 301 W. Park Street in Gillett.
First Arriving
When I first arrived at the roast, I began chatting with a woman visiting from Minneapolis, who let me know this corn on the cob was some of the best she ever had! The 4H stand housed the all you can eat corn, where the workers dipped the cobs in kettles of melted butter before giving them to the patrons. I can see why that woman loved the corn. The corn was very sweet and juicy, and well worth the $3.00 for all you can eat! The corn is no longer roasted like it was years ago, but steamed at Seneca Foods in Gillett. This practice was adopted while the Sportsman’s Club still ran the event: the time it took to put the grill together for the corn proved to be too cumbersome. Having the corn steamed at Seneca Foods before bringing it to the park was seen as a more practical option for those running the event.
Food & Activities
Everything the departments served was divided among three areas at Zippel Park: While the 4H Stand was set aside for the corn, the Gillett Civic Club stand sold burgers, fries, slushies and sodas prepared by fire department members and their spouses.
Alcoholic beverages were served in the beer tent where you could also enjoy music from the Full Circle Band and try your luck at winning one of the many raffle prizes! Thanks to the roast being located at Zippel Park, keeping the kids entertained was not a problem. From 4pm until 8pm the department had a bouncy house for the kids to enjoy-complete with a dalmatian on top sporting a fire helmet. The pieces at the playground were all occupied by children, and a couple of brave kids managed to climb that popular pole in the park to ring the bell at the top!
As you can see, even if you’re not a fan of corn on the cob, there is still plenty for people to enjoy at the corn roast! A big thank you to Kurt Hicks (City of Gillett Fire Chief) for sharing information about GAFA and the corn roast history with me. I look forward to going again next year!
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