Arcola Broom Corn Festival
Join us the 2nd weekend in September for the world-famous Broom Corn Festival, including the parade, craft booths, live entertainment, food vendors, and the 5K & 10K Road Race.
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–>> 2012 Race Results are posted
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Broomcorn Festival [Tentative] Schedule 2013 – Arcola, Illinois
Friday – Sept. 6, 2013
Festival opens at 10 am
Vendors open at 10 am3 pm – Grand Marshal Reception at Arcola Center
4 pm National Broom Sweeping Contest – Main Street Stage
4 pm – Beer Tent opens
8 pm to Midnight – Feudin Hillbillies at Beer TentSaturday – Sept. 7, 2013
8 am – 35th Annual ABC 10,000 – 5K & 10K Race and 5K Recreational Walk
9 am – Vendors open
Noon – Beer Tent opens – Music and television throughout the day
12:30 pm – Gunney Sack Revue – Oak Street Stage
3 pm – Parade – line-up at Moore Park
5 pm – Gunney Sack Revue – Oak Street Stage
8 pm to Midnight – Pop Rocks – Beer TentSunday – Sept. 8, 2013
7 am – Church Service at First Christian Church – 311 E. Main
9 am – Vendors Open
11 am – Jaycees Kiddie Tractor Pull – South Oak Street – sign up 1 hour prior
Noon – Beer tent opens
1 pm – Gospel Music – First Christian Church parking lot
2 pm – To Be Announced – Oak Street Stage
4 to 8 pm – DJ – Beer Tent
5 pm – Vendors close
5 pm – Festival closes
Broom Corn Festival Forms & Resources
>> Arcola Broomcorn Festival Vendor Information Form (Submit Online)
>> Arcola Broomcorn Festival Vendor Information Form (PDF – Mail In)
>> Broomcorn Festival 5k & 10k Registration Form – Will be available soon
Broom Corn Capital of the World
Arcola celebrates its heritage as the “Broom Corn Capital of the World” with the renowned annual Broom Corn Festival. Visitors can see broom activities, arts/crafts, free entertainment, great food, and a gigantic parade with the Famous Lawn Rangers. Additional, visitors can participate in the Arcola Broom Corn 5K and 10K races. The event, held the weekend after Labor Day, honors Arcola’s position in the late nineteenth century as a center of broom corn production.
World-Famous Lawn Rangers
Arcola is famous for the Lawn Rangers, a “precision lawn mower drill team” that marches in formation with brooms and lawn mowers in the Arcola Broomcorn Parade. Every year since 1980, the Lawn Rangers have marched in the Arcola Broom Corn Festival Parade. This unique custom was publicized by humor columnist Dave Barry, who marched with the Lawn Rangers in 1995 and has written columns about them. In 2003, President Barack Obama marched with the Lawn Rangers in the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade to launch his race for the senate. As a result, The World Famous Amazing Arcola Lawn Rangers were invited to march in the 2009 Inaugural Parade in Washington D.C.
Arcola Broom Corn Festival 5k & 10k Road Races
Broomcorn5KSaturday, September 7, 2013
Choose to run either the 5k (3.1 miles) or 10k (6.2 miles) race on brick and hard surfaces through and north of Arcola, Illinois. Finish in downtown Arcola. The 5k course is all in town.
Course features police escorts, aid stations, and split times. Awards to top three finishers in each age division. Plaque to top overall finishers. Door prizes will be drawn (must be present to win).
Race results will be available on the Arcola Chamber Website [here!].
Starting time: 8am sharp. Runners lead.
Cost: $20 before 9/1/13; $25 after.
Check-in begins at 7 a.m. at Kelley Moore Park Pavilion, Route 133, Arcola. Two blocks west of I-57, exit 203 on south. No entrants after 7:30 a.m.
Registration: Online registration will be available soon as well as a printable form. Please check back later.
Men’s & Women’s Age Groups for 5k:
14 & under, 15-20, 21-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+Men’s Age Groups for 10k:
29 & under, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+Women’s Age Groups for 10k:
29 & under, 30-39, 40-49, 50+