Rolling Meadows church's Cornfest a local tradition

The Cornfest at the Community Church of Rolling Meadows has become a tradition not only for the 100-member congregation, but also for the hundreds in the community who attend every year for the fellowship - and the all-you-can eat corn.

What started as a gathering of church members in 1957 has turned into one of Rolling Meadows' biggest summer festivals. The 62nd edition of the annual fest was Saturday on the church grounds at the northeast corner of Kirchoff Road and Meadow Drive.

"It started out with a trough of boiling water, and it grew from that," said Ross Hart, chairman of the fest organizing committee.

Yes, there's corn - some 3,000 ears from Didier Farms - but today there are also hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, watermelon and cold drinks. A big yellow and white tent was added in the late 1980s to accommodate the growing crowds, then a craft fair in the late 1990s. Some 80 vendors sold their wares this year. The fest also has kids' activities and live music.

But the corn still is the main draw, and church members have their cooking procedures down to a science.

In one tent, volunteers shuck the corn and cut off the bottoms before the ears are placed in one of four stainless steel baskets and dropped into a custom-made outdoor boiler. Ten minutes later - as measured by four different timers, one for each basket - the corn is removed and given a butter bath.

"If it works, we're not changing," Hart said.