The annual St. Jude Sweet Corn Festival in Cedar Rapids is happening this weekend! Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know if you’re planning to attend the 3-day event in 2026:
Corn Husking
With 18,000 ears of corn to prepare, St. Jude is depending on volunteers to help out! If you’d like to help shuck and clean corn, all you have to do is show up at the food canopy tent on the church grounds on Thursday, August 6th at 9 a.m.
Dates/Times
The 2026 St. Jude Sweet Corn Festival is happening this weekend, August 7th through 9th at St. Jude Catholic Church (50 Edgewood Rd NW, Cedar Rapids). The official festival hours are:
- Friday, August 7th from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday, August 8th from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Sunday, August 9th from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission
Daily admission into the Sweet Corn Festival is $5 for ages 11 to 59. If you attend the festival on Friday or Saturday and plan to go back on Sunday, make sure you keep your wristband on for free Sunday admission!
Additionally, all pre-registered volunteers will receive free festival admission, and all children ages 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Security
The St. Jude Sweet Corn Festival website notes that there is a bag policy again this year, and that “all bags are subject to inspection at any time on church grounds.” If a purse/bag is larger than 5” x 7”, it must be clear. Exceptions may be made for medical or family needs “after proper inspection.”
Here are items that will NOT be allowed into the festival:
- No weapons, firearms, or knives
- No facemasks (unless medical grade)
- No pets (except for service animals)
- No bikes, scooters, or other motorized vehicles (except for medical necessity)
- No outside food or drink (sealed water bottles/empty reusable water bottles are allowed)
There is no smoking or vaping permitted on the festival grounds.
Parking
There is some parking available on the church grounds off the Edgewood Rd entrance and 1st Ave entrance, but there will also be off-site parking with free shuttle service. The shuttles are set to run continuously from the MidAmerican Aerospace parking lot at Williams Blvd SW and 16th Ave SW. The shuttle hours are:
- Friday, August 7th from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Saturday, August 8th from 12 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Sunday, August 9th from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The website notes that “shuttles may run later if necessary to get patrons back to their vehicles.”…