The corn go-karts, funded by KY Corn, opened the Corn Festival Parade in Downtown Morganfield, KY.
Harvest season in Union County, KY brings the community together for the 50th Annual Morganfield Lions Club Corn Festival. This year’s theme, “Authentic Roots, Ambitious Pursuits,” highlights the festival’s original mission: to honor Union County’s agricultural heritage and strengthen community bonds.
KY Corn is proud to support an event that celebrates farmers and the harvest season. This year, the organization sponsored two go-karts designed to resemble ears of corn, which were driven by the Grand Marshall and the Golden Kernel in the Corn Festival parade. The go-karts featured a “Powered By E-85” label, promoting the use of higher ethanol blended gasoline.
Jim McElroy, a founding member of the KY Corn Promotion Council (KYCPC), connected KY Corn with the Morganfield Lions Club Corn Festival. He said the karts were designed and built by Rodney Utley, a member of the Lions Club.
“The karts are powered by Honda gasoline engines that were retrofitted with modified carburetors to run on 85% or higher ethanol blends of fuel (E-85). The Honda ethanol engines run great. Our new karts look really good, thanks to Rodney, his crew and KY Corn,” McElroy said.
The corn-karts opened the parade and drove the entire route. At the end, the drivers took a victory lap, circling back and engaging with the crowd. Accompanying the corn-karts, community groups rode on floats to join in the celebration of the harvest season.
This year’s Grand Marshall was Renie Anderson, a farm girl from Union County who currently serves as the Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President of NFL Partnerships.
Traditionally, the Golden Kernel title is awarded to a member of the Lions Club, but this year, it was dedicated to the JayCees and Jaycettes, the original nonprofit organization who founded the Corn Festival in 1974.
The Corn Festival hosted a pickleball tournament, a sand volleyball tournament, carnival rides, a pageant, pedal tractor pulls, a CrossFit competition, bingo, a 5K race, a half pot raffle, fireworks, live music and, most importantly, a corn shucking contest.
The Lions Club collaborated with Union County High School FFA to organize the corn shucking contest, with corn generously donated by a local farmer. Participants were divided by age groups, each given a minute and a half to shuck as many ears as they could. The individual with the most ears shucked at the end was declared the winner.
The Morganfield Lions Club continues the legacy of the JayCees and JayCettes by reinvesting the Corn Festival earnings into the community. Their primary focus is on providing vision assistance, which includes purchasing glasses and organizing vision screenings. In addition to this vital service, they contribute to the community in various other ways.
In 2023, Union County ranked third in corn production in Kentucky, harvesting more than 14 million bushels from approximately 75,700 acres (source: Corn County Estimates – 2023, USDA NASS). With deep agricultural roots, this community continues to be a top contributor to the state’s production, making it all the more deserving of a special harvest celebration.