MENDOTA — The 79th annual Mendota Sweet Corn Festival continues through the weekend in downtown Mendota with carnival rides, family activities, live entertainment, food vendors, and a large craft and vendor show on Saturday and Sunday. Admission and parking are free, with charges only for carnival rides, food purchases, and the beer garden. Visitors can also see two new downtown murals and several new businesses that have opened since last year’s festival.
“We just got two incredible new murals. They’re both of native wildlife of the area,” said Madeline Piller, president and CEO of the Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce. “We wanted to bring some nature into downtown and really brighten up the space. So this year, as you’re going to the Sweet Corn Festival, you can see all the beautification that we’ve been working on.”
Friday evening the Queen Pageant was held, with Maren Atherton being crowned Sweet Corn Queen for 2026.
The festival wraps up Sunday with the annual parade and the tradition of serving free steamed sweet corn beginning at 2 p.m. using a vintage steam engine.
