The warm sun heats your skin as you walk along the fairground devouring fresh funnel cakes and a crisp, cold lemon shake-up. The excited screams of children on rides fill the air, and you can feel the adrenaline in your fingertips. These festivals are immensely important to students and communities as a whole. 

After two years of on-and-off lockdowns, keeping 6 feet apart and mask mandates, people are desperate for a reason to get out and enjoy themselves. They need a safe space to just have fun and feel a sense of community again. There is no better way to do it than a festival. 

There is joy, freedom, excitement and belonging at festivals. This state of mind can create a sense of pride in one’s community. 

“Festivals teach us something new about our neighbors, strengthen our relationships, and foster community pride by bringing people together from all walks of life,” a statement from the Center for Rural Affairs reads. 

It is important for students to destress from a week of classes, work and homework. Take the time to enjoy yourself, meet new people and have some fun outdoors. 

Corn Fest

DeKalb’s Corn Fest comes at the perfect time for students to have a last hoorah before classes begin to kick in. 

What originally started as a coil boil in 1957 “to give away free corn to the citizens as they began the harvest,” turned into our modern day carnival ride- and music-filled festival in 1977, according to the Corn Fest website. 

The family-friendly activities, music, crafts, rides and the famous corn boil, create an electrifying atmosphere where community members and students alike can come together.