This year's Little Mr. and Little Miss Corn Carnival Cooper Murty, left, and Codi DeWitt pictured on Thursday following their crowning. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GLADBROOK – Nine Little Mr. and Little Miss Corn Carnival candidates confidently presented themselves to the community gathered on the north end of the city park last Thursday evening as part of the first night of the 101st annual Gladbrook Corn Carnival’s festivities.

With help from last year’s Little Mr. and Little Miss royalty Theo Schmitz and Kinley Miller who drew names from a bucket, Codi DeWitt and Cooper Murty were crowned this year’s Little Miss Corn Carnival and Little Mr. Corn Carnival, respectively.

Following the Littles crowning – which took place in the driveway of a Fourth Street yard located directly across from the city park – Lisa Reinhard was then crowned the 2023 Corn Cob Queen. The Corn Cob crowning was again sponsored this year by Anderson Funeral Homes which has done so for at least a decade.

Congratulations to all the Little Mr. and Little Miss Corn Carnival candidates including Little Mr. Corn Carnival 2023 Cooper Murty, Jackson Gienger, Michael McHenry, Little Miss Corn Carnival 2023 Codi DeWitt, Charlette Bruene, Bostyn Brallier, Adalyn Zitzow, Ella Thede, and Emma Bauer!

As soon as the 2023 Corn Carnival royalty was selected, the Kiddie Parade took off down the same block from west to east to the delight of a packed street of Gladbrook community supporters that included Gladbrook Mayor Trudi Scott cheering all the parade entries on from the corner of Fourth and Gould streets.

The 2023 Corn Cob Queen Lisa Reinhard. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Roughly two dozen entries helped make this year’s Kiddie Parade another successful event from babies in arms to little ones dressed up as pretty flowers, to groups of bicyclists and even 2023 Little Miss Corn Carnival candidate Emma Bauer leading one of her family’s powerful Black Clydesdales down the block.

The 101st Corn Carnival royalty crowning and Kiddie Parade certainly made a statement as the first big event of the weekend – the Corn Carnival is here to stay!

Click here for the Kiddie Parade gallery.

The 2023 Little Mr. and Little Miss Corn Carnival candidates and court pictured alongside 2022 royalty last Thursday evening including (l-r) Jackson Gienger, Michael McHenry, Little Mr. Corn Carnival 2023 Cooper Murty, Little Mr. Corn Carnival 2022 Theo Schmitz, Charlette Bruene, Little Miss Corn Carnival 2023 Codi DeWitt, Bostyn Brallier, Little Miss Corn Carnival 2022 Kinley Miller, Adalyn Zitzow, Ella Thede, and Emma Bauer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Little Miss Corn Carnival 2023 Codi DeWitt pictured as she is crowned this year's winner last Thursday evening after her name was drawn from a bucket. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Little Mr. Corn Carnival Cooper Murty smiles as he accepts the 2023 crown. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

The 2023 Corn Cob Queen Lisa Reinhard, left, accepts a basket of gifts from last year's Little Miss Corn Carnival Kinley Miller. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

The 2023 Corn Cob Queen Lisa Reinhard, second from left, pictured alongside Anderson Funeral Homes owners (l-r) Jody, Amy, and Sydney Anderson who have sponsored the event for the last decade. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER