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Cornstalks, scarecrows and dancing, oh my!

Shelly Schlumpf/Executive Director, Sumner Downtown Association

The last weekend in September is one of my favorites as it signals the arrival of another downtown tradition: Putting up cornstalks.

I can always count on a phone call from Councilmember Leroy Goff to remind me that it’s time to gather our community volunteers for the annual trek to the cornfields. The great thing about it this year is that the cornstalks now adorning our street corners and downtown lamp posts were provided by our community gardens for the first time, thank you very much, Councilmember Randy Hynek.

And our community knows that while the fall decorations downtown are great to look at, more importantly it heralds the arrival of several of our much-anticipated fall events. Autumn Evening and the Scarecrow Contest were the first to occur this past weekend. Downtown stores remained open late, various businesses and organizations decorated and posted scarecrows on the street for visitor voting and the Ascension Productions Dancing Scarecrows were back on Main Street to entertain the crowds.

This coming weekend new “pink” decorations, sponsored by the Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse, will be added to the downtown bridge as part of our Come Walk With Me event which benefits the Good Samaritan Foundation breast cancer awareness programs. On Saturday, Oct. 10, several hundred folks will put on their sneakers and make their way to the Old Cannery to register for the 5-kilometer walk, which begins at 9 a.m. The walk will start on the bridge led by a “pinked out” Corliss Concrete truck and travel east on Main Street to Windmill Gardens and back to the Cannery where walkers will be greeted by Men In Pink, a ManeStage Theatre mini show, singing, raffles and more. Plus, there will be plenty of high school student involvement as many local youth are utilizing the benefit for required senior project hours.

At 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 16, downtown will host the annual Sumner High School Homecoming Parade, which is always a favorite with the locals. There is no shortage of Spartan pride on Main Street as the high school classes and teammates gather to march and wave to the crowds.

Plus, any reason that gets our award w-nning marching band, led by Mr. Carl, performing downtown is cause for celebration, even if they’re just practicing after school on the side streets. And we end the month downtown with little princesses and their escorts. No, it’s not the Daffodil Festival Royal Court, but our Halloween Street of Treats event on Oct. 31 for our little costumed visitors.

As you can see, our small but mighty community lends strength to the downtown core in a myriad of ways. In these economically challenged times, we have found ways to keep our traditions and vitality on Main Street. With over 250 community volunteers, youth involvement, other non-profit organization partnerships, colorful and appreciated business sponsorships and free cornstalks from the community garden project, there is something happening almost every weekend in October. So a big thank you to everyone who becomes involved downtown, especially our participating restaurants and merchant businesses.

It all comes together to create something special and fun and why so many people enjoy spending some time in Sumner.