People feel the heat at Fort Gibson sweet corn festival

Jul. 2—FORT GIBSON — Drew Winters kept munching corn on the cob, stuffing his cheeks like a hungry squirrel Saturday.

That's what helped him win the corn eating contest at Fort Gibson's Sweet Corn Festival. It also helped that he was from "corn country," a family member said.

Winters, who lives near Wagoner, said his father was from Nebraska and he's from Garden City in far western Kansas.

"I grew up growing it and shucking it," Winters said.

Saturday afternoon's blistering heat cut into attendance at this year's festival, said Tim Smith, post commander at Frank Gladd Post 20 American Legion, the festival's sponsor.

Smith said he saw great attendance from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

"Having the cheerleaders there really helped," he said.

Fewer people came out on Saturday afternoon, affecting the number of corn eating contestants. Smith said the 2023 contest drew 60 people. About four adults competed and six children competed on Saturday.

Jax Malone, 12, of Broken Arrow won the children's competition.

"I just kind of went in a circle around it," Jax said.

Winters' 8-year-old son Warren placed second.

Smith said attendance rose after 6 p.m.

Hot weather didn't stop visitors from seasoning their Mexican street corn, or elote, with all kinds of sizzling spices.

Tracey Smith, who prepared and sold the corn, said elote was a popular dish at the festival. She covered the roasted ears of corn with mayonnaise and queso cotija, a dry Mexican cheese.