Patti Jo Peterson
Managing editor
“The more things change the more things stay the same,” the saying goes.
And when it comes to the 2009 Kass Kounty King Korn Karnival, the adage may ring true.
Although the Korn Klub made changes in the location of the Kornation and the time of the Grand Parade, the harvest celebration still offered tried and true events starting Sept. 10 with the crowning of the new Kornland King and Queen, Walter Oehlerking of rural Elmwood and Alicia Van Westen of Plattsmouth.
Moving the Kornation off Main Street and into St. John the Baptist School auditorium this year was a decision made based on the 2007 and 2008 celebrations, according to Karnival organizer Myrna Hale.
Last year, the Kornation was to be downtown, but heavy rainfall forced it inside Plattsmouth High School at the last minute.
“We were in contact with the weather bureau all day. They said the sky would be clear and nothing would start until after 10 p.m.,” Hale recalled. “It rained all day Thursday, so we took the chance the sky would clear. During the Royalty dinner, the sky opened up at 5:15 p.m. It pounded so hard on the Legion building we couldn’t hear ourselves talk.”
On short notice, the high school became available. “I can’t say enough praise for that school,” Hale said.
The rain continued Friday and the Kiddie Parade was cancelled. “We called off the parade at 11 a.m.,” Hale said.
The weather didn’t dampen the Koffee House at the library that night. “It had a huge attendance,” she said.
Although Saturday and Sunday remained rainy, the Grand Parade and Sunday activities carried on.
The weather in 2007 was even worse. “We had the Kornation outside and when the senior attendants, the dukes and dutchesses, were progressing down the carpet, there was lightening all around and it began to rain. They walked with water over their shoes,” Hale recalled. We continued the ceremony and the rain let up a little bit for the king and queen.”
A downpour, however, returned late Saturday afternoon, so the Grand Parade was cancelled.
“This is the rainy time of year for our county. Weather has been one of the contributing factors of the change,” Hale said.
Thursday night was clear as a bell and the Kornation at St. John’s drew 450 or more people. “There were 80-plus for the Royalty Dinner, and 250 on the bleachers for the ceremony. We had 150 chairs also set up, so that’s 480 not counting the participants,” Hale said.
Weather was not the only consideration made in the decision to change the Grand Parade to Saturday — tradition was also in the mix.
“We had a request from other participants and chose to go back to the original time for the Grand Parade,” Hale said. “In 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934, every event was in the afternoon, because there were no (adequate) street lights.”
Moving the 2009 parade to the afternoon didn’t kill interest in it. “We had more entrants in the Grand Parade this year and more variety than in prior years,” Hale said. “We had between 6,000 and 7,000 in attendance.”
Sunday’s Fly-In drew its usual large crowd anxious to eat the breakfast prepared by Eagle Club members.
And despite the two changes, traditional activities including the 2009 Koffee House, Talent Show, Kiddie Parade, Little Miss and Little Masters Pageant, Quilt Show, Art Show, Flower Show, Slow Tractor Race, Show and Shine and Amusement rides still went on as well as many other events — all for free to local patrons.
The Karnival is not free for the Korn Klub. “The Karnival costs between $11,000 and $12,000 per year to put it on. We rely strictly on donations and vendors who come to Plattsmouth. Blues Amusements gives us a flat rate,” Hale explained.
With the economy in recession, donations were down this year.
“We understand when people came to us and said that sales were down,” Hale said. “All we asked this year was to have people assist us — line up the parade and guide people around town.”
Korn Klub members volunteer their time all year to set up the events and receive no recompense other than seeing people enjoy the festival each year, Hale said.
“The people who started this festival invited the farmers to come to town to celebrate the harvest. It was at the end of October. People came all week and stayed in the hotel,” Hale said.
Although the Karnival has retained most of the traditions starting 78 years ago, Hale reminds people that times have changed.
“When my kids got involved, there were hundreds of children who participated,” she said. “Now we compete with volleyball, softball and football. There are so many activities our young kids take part in. Also in the last four to five years, every community in Cass County has developed its own celebration, which I support.”
And yet, the Karnival survives.
“We love the pageantry. We love what’s going on,” Hale said.
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