The YMCA's 45th Annual Corn Festival Was a Successful Fall Day Of Fun!

A young guest dives into the corn pit at the South Shore YMCA’s Corn Festival in Norwell(South Shore YMCA)

(NORWELL, MA) Whether you attended it yourself or saw photos of friends posing in a corn pit, you probably heard about the Corn Festival that took place on Saturday, September 24th, and Sunday, September 25th. That's because this year, more than 1,000 families attended the Ys 45th Annual Corn Festival!

The South Shore YMCA has a mission that centers around community, opportunities, and experiences. The 45th Annual Corn Festival is just one of the many ways the YMCA brings its mission to life, and contributes to the community.

Corn Festival 2022 celebrates the autumn harvest with fall-themed crafts for kids(South Shore YMCA)

The YMCA's commitment, "to nurturing the potential of every child and teen" can be seen through the activities offered at the 45th Annual Corn Festival. The SSYMCA Natural Science Center offered entertaining yet educational experiences such as meeting 4-H animals up close and showing a traditional farm life experience. The Corn Festival also featured, musicians, storytellers, and Indigenous traditions educators.

Jim Spinale, a retired science teacher from the Whitman-Hanson school district, gave the younger event attendees an educational and fun STEM lesson that they'll never forget!

89-year-old volunteer & retired science teacher Jim Spinale shares corny science fun in the Corn Lab(South Shore YMCA)

It all began months ago when he began preparing for the event by growing corn at home but not the normal way! He grew the corn sideways, upside-down, in the dark, and with and without fertilizer, just to name a few examples. He was able to then show the children who attended 'Professor Jim’s Corn Lab' at the Corn Festival how environmental differences can make a large impact on plants. Children had the opportunity to plant a corn seed and bring it home. As a result, there may be up to 450 new corn plants on the South Shore this year!

Over 1,000 families enjoyed fall fun at the South Shore YMCA Corn Festival(South Shore YMCA)

“This event supports our Y’s mission to give families more opportunities, events, and experiences that can be enjoyed together,” said Paul Gorman, President and CEO of the South Shore YMCA. “The successful return of Corn Festival, on pause since 2019 due to the pandemic, symbolizes a big step toward returning to normal life for area families and children. We are pleased to see such a grand turnout.”

Over 1,000 families enjoyed fall fun at the South Shore YMCA Corn Festival(South Shore YMCA)

The 45th Annual Corn Festival was enjoyed by event attendees of all ages, “It was great to get out and enjoy such a fun day as a family,” said new dad, Jim Fagan, who attended Corn Festival for the first time along with friends and family, including his 6-month-old son, Connor. “The Science Center is a beautiful spot, and we had a blast exploring all the trails and activities. We’ll be back!”

To learn more about the South Shore YMCA, please visit www.ssymca.org.