Oakland City, a small town in Indiana's Gibson County, is home to the historic campus of Oakland City University, founded in 1885. The region also is known for its barn quilt trail, an abundance of natural resources along the scenic Patoka River and several community-wide celebrations, including Oakland City's annual Sweet Corn Festival.
The Sweet Corn Festival is an Oakland City summertime tradition that spans five decades. Typically held over several days in early August at Wirth Park, less than a mile west of downtown, the event is organized by the Oakland City Lions Club and used as a fundraiser for several of its charitable projects in the community. A parking fee is charged, and tickets also must be purchased for carnival rides and food.
One of the Sweet Corn Festival's main draws, of course, is the tasty yellow vegetable that's paired each evening with either smoked pork chops or fried chicken and other accompaniments in dinners that are available for purchase at the event. Attendees can enjoy their meals outside or in the air-conditioned Oakland City Community Center. The Lions Club also sells fresh sweet corn by the dozen or half-dozen each day of the festival.
The festival typically starts early in the week with the Sweet Corn Parade, kicking off a full schedule of activities that includes carnival rides, beauty pageants, a car cruise, a talent show and a daily lineup of live music and other entertainment. One of the annual highlights is the corn-eating contest, which serves as the festival's grand finale and includes contestants vying to see how many sweet corncobs they can pick clean.
During your visit to Oakland City for the Sweet Corn Festival, take time to check out a few nearby attractions. Gibson County's Barn Quilt Trail includes more than 130 hand-painted quilts that adorn structures throughout the county, including several in Oakland City. Or, get an up-close look at the region's scenic vistas with a trip to the Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge, where you can enjoy activities such as hiking, fishing, boating, kayaking or hunting along the namesake river and surrounding wetlands. The refuge is home to more than 380 animal species, including deer, quail, rabbits, turkeys, bald eagles, Indiana bats and numerous waterfowl.
