Superstar organizer Megan Gienger, a member of the Gladbrook Corn Carnival Committee, left, smiles while watching an entry in last Thursday’s Kiddie Parade pass by her location at Fourth and Gould streets just south of the city park. Gladbrook’s annual town festival celebrated its 102nd year last week across four days packed with family-friendly fun. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GLADBROOK – Across four glorious days last week, Gladbrook celebrated the 102nd iteration of the community’s annual town festival complete with a ‘Neon Era’ theme.

The 2024 Gladbrook Corn Carnival kicked off Thursday evening with the always adorable Little Mr & Miss Corn Carnival crowning on the south side of the city park, followed by the equally darling Kiddie Parade.

Amid the heat and humidity, Cora Plett was crowned the 2024 Little Miss Corn Carnival while Jackson Gienger received the Little Mr Corn Carnival crown. The event was sponsored by the Gladbrook Young Women service organization. Moments later, Sierra Wiebensohn received the ultimate honor of being crowned the 2024 Corn Cob Queen, sponsored by Anderson Funeral Homes.

The following evening, the Grand Parade was the main event, promenading down Johnson and Fourth streets to the delight of the community and guests. This year’s parade grand marshals – announced online back in December 2023 – were Mike and Sara Wentzien who rode in the wagon pulled by TF Clydesdales with their family walking behind. For many years, the Wentziens owned and operated Wentzien’s Hardware Co. in downtown Gladbrook while Mike also served on the Gladbrook City Council, as mayor, and as a Tama County Supervisor. Most recently, Mike was a supervisors’ lobbyist in Des Moines.

“[W]onderful civic minded members of the Gladbrook community,” Sandy Mohr wrote on the Gladbrook Corn Carnival Facebook page back in December following the grand marshal announcement. “I was blessed to grow up in Gladbrook with Mike’s family and as an adult a back door neighbor. No [one] nicer.”

2024 Corn Carnival Grand Marshals, Sara and Mike Wentzien. PHOTO COURTESY OF SETH MARTENS/FACEBOOK

“I worked with Sara for many years [at] Center Associates [in Marshalltown] and we did have a lot of fun at times. She & Mike would [pick] me up at the lake whenever I needed a ride,” Nancy Crawford Scheid wrote on Facebook. “Oh – and she made the best meatballs and Mississippi Mud Pie!!”

But perhaps Rose Russell said it best with her comment, “Super nice people with true genuine smiles and hearts.”

The 2024 Grand Parade winners included Gladbrook High School Class of 1969’s float which took first place; Nekola Outdoor Services in second place; and in third place, the always-popular, powerfully elegant TF Clydesdales.

The list of activities and events taking place this year during Corn Carnival was mind-boggling. Entertainment included musical acts Dueling Pianos, Strike the Skye, and Standing Hampton, while popular activities included the First Street midway games and rides, Gladbrook Fire Department’s water ball contest, professional wrestling, bingo, kids’ facepainting, and a 5K run/walk on Saturday morning followed by the car show which featured custom-made trophies by Ryan & Scotty Fields of Pleasant Hill.

The Gladbrook Corn Carnival Committee, chaired by Denny Gienger, consists of 18 dedicated people “committed to getting things done,” Giegner told the newspaper ahead of this year’s festival.

The Pie Lady, aka Laura Bru of rural Gladbrook, smiles sweetly from behind the register inside her wildly popular ‘pie mobile’ last Thursday in downtown Gladbrook during the 102nd annual Corn Carnival festival. In addition to Bru, the Tama County Pork Producers were also serving up dinner from the opposite side of the street. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

At the conclusion of the 2024 Corn Carnival, committee member Melanie Wagner posted on Facebook a thank you to all who helped make this year’s event spectacular.

“I would like to take a minute to recognize all the businesses and individuals that have either donated or will sponsor an event at this year’s Corn Carnival,” Wagner wrote. “You are all appreciated and we could not do it without you.”

Wagner’s list included the following: Alliant Energy, Anderson Funeral Home, Bill Colwell, Boulder Contracting, Bowman & Miller, Clapsaddle Garber, Cole the Cornstar, Cooley Sanitation, Dave’s Mini Donuts, Dave & Deanna McGowan, Dick’s Concrete, [American Legion] Post 127, Farm Credit Services of America, Farmers Feed & Supply of Reinbeck, Farmers Savings Bank Traer, Farmers Savings Bank (Beaman & Marshalltown), First Interstate Bank, Gladbrook American Legion Auxiliary, Gladbrook Auto Supply, Gladbrook Pharmacy, Gladbrook Tire, Gladbrook Young Woman, GNB Bank, Goos Implement, Green Products, Grundy County Hospital, Hatch Grading & Excavation, Heartland Co-op, Hometown Family Market, K & K Auto Body, Larry’s Tap, Adam Ledvina, Lincoln Savings Bank, John Livingston, Luethje Auto, MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union, Mid Iowa Co-op, Morris Insurance Agency, Next Generation AG, New Century FS, Prairie Creek LLC, Renk Seed/DK Groth Farms, Ritchie Industries, Sash Auction, Judy Wendel, Scott Amusements, Shomo-Madsen Insurance, State Bank of Toledo, Stine Seed, Tama County Cattleman, Tama County Mutual Insurance, Tama County Pork Producers, Union Auto Inc, USS Polaris, Web Electric Inc, and Westbrook Acres.

Be sure to pick up a copy of next week’s paper (June 28 edition) for more Corn Carnival 2024 photos.

TF Clydesdales promenade through Gladbrook during the Corn Carnival Grand Parade held last week Friday. The team was pulling a couple of extra special guests, the 2024 Corn Carnival Grand Marshals, Mike and Sara Wentzien. PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

Kiddie Parade 2024 participants. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Kiddie Parade 2024 participants. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Kiddie Parade 2024 participants. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER