Olathe Corn Festival

Olathe Colorado is one of those towns you drive by on the way to somewhere else. Located approximately 60 miles due south of Grand Junction Colorado, the only indication that you are passing the town is the stoplight on Hwy. 550 south, midway between Grand Junction and Ridgeway. The local countryside contains rolling hills and gullies that contain a mixture of corn or onion fields, pasture and modular homes. The community is not poor, but neither is it affluent. Motor homes are parked next to small two bedroom stucco sided homes. Nothing of interest captures the passersby's notice from the highway except a non descript high school building with the accompanying football field and a few houses are all there is to view from the vehicle windows.

Olathe is a small rural community containing about 1,600 residents. The Post Office is a tiny building the size of the average home garage. One may walk from one end of town to the other in about fifteen minutes if one ambles slowly. Everyone knows everyone else. Nothing ever happens here...except in August.

August marks the time of the Sweet Corn harvest, world famous sweet corn, which is one of this areas most prized economic blessings. No corn elsewhere in the United States compares to that grown here. In 1992, the community of Olathe decided to celebrate this harvest by a public event open to the people of the town, local farms and ranches. The community also invited those in the surrounding area to gather and celebrate the end of the long summer's work.

In August of every year, this sleepy little town explodes with excitement, parades (including the High School Band of 20 members), a carnival atmosphere, and concerts given by some of the country's greatest rock bands. Yes, rock, here in the heart of 'country'. Bands such as Credence Clearwater Revival, Loverboy, Styxx, Jefferson Starship, BTO, and others. The 53 x 50 stage screams with 40-foot speakers and a 26-acre area filled with 16,000 fans. Cowboys, rockers, young and old, sitting in lawn chairs or dancing on the grass, all the while eating Olathe Sweet corn, giant smoked turkey legs, or whatever else may tickle your fancy.

Attendants may see longhaired 'hippies' in bandanas and cut off jeans sitting next to their 'cowboy' friends, in cowboy hats and boots. Teenagers wearing baseball caps askew sit next to 'gothic' garbed acquaintances and truly show the participant that this gathering is really one of community and common interest. The Olathe Corn Festival has exceeded the founder's expectations of just a celebratory event to rest after a long growing season into one of the best-kept secrets of western Colorado.