SHIPPENSBURG, PA - The Corn Festival in Shippensburg may have a lot to do with corn, but it didn't start out that way.
The event was first held to preserve the beauty of the town. It brings thousands to its center.
"Its a community event," says Rose Dillner, a Corn Festival organizer. "It's a family event and it's lovely, everyone comes from quite a distance through the years. Its maintained its family orientation."
The Corn Festival is one of the major events during the summer. Dillner is one of the original co-chairs of the festival from thirty years ago. The event was originally held to show the beauty of downtown Shippensburg, but it became something more. During the festival, downtown streets are closed for traffic to let people dance the hours away and to catch up with old friends. The money raised goes back into the community to preserve the historic buildings.
"Well it's such a great community event," says Jan Rose, a Corn Festival organizer. "We were new in the community and I got to know lots of wonderful people. A lot of talented people vendors even say this is one of the most organized festivals they ever go to.
The festival runs smoothly every year because of its volunteers. When the festival first started there was only a handful and now dozens of people come out in the early hours to set up and organize the event.
"I just remember all the wonderful people that have worked on it because it wouldn't have grown to this without the volunteers and it's just something people look forward to and come back to," says Rose.
The event was first held to preserve the beauty of the town. It brings thousands to its center.
"Its a community event," says Rose Dillner, a Corn Festival organizer. "It's a family event and it's lovely, everyone comes from quite a distance through the years. Its maintained its family orientation."
The Corn Festival is one of the major events during the summer. Dillner is one of the original co-chairs of the festival from thirty years ago. The event was originally held to show the beauty of downtown Shippensburg, but it became something more. During the festival, downtown streets are closed for traffic to let people dance the hours away and to catch up with old friends. The money raised goes back into the community to preserve the historic buildings.
"Well it's such a great community event," says Jan Rose, a Corn Festival organizer. "We were new in the community and I got to know lots of wonderful people. A lot of talented people vendors even say this is one of the most organized festivals they ever go to.
The festival runs smoothly every year because of its volunteers. When the festival first started there was only a handful and now dozens of people come out in the early hours to set up and organize the event.
"I just remember all the wonderful people that have worked on it because it wouldn't have grown to this without the volunteers and it's just something people look forward to and come back to," says Rose.
