One of Windsor-Essex's beloved summer events is switching from its longtime home this year.
The Town of Tecumseh has confirmed that the annual Corn and Music Festival will be switching to McAuliffe Park this August, moving from its traditional home at Lacasse Park. The three-day event is scheduled from August 23 to 25.
The festival, one of the mainstays of Windsor-Essex's summer event season, is now organized and operated by the volunteer-run Optimist Club of St. Clair Beach.
In a post to a private Facebook group, submitted to WindsorNewsToday.ca, the club cited a major baseball tournament at Lacasse Park's new ballfield and other factors.
"Due to the size and extensive nature of the event, there are limited options within the town to hold such a large event," read the post. "McAuliffe Park was selected as it has the appropriate drainage and hard surfaces required for us to be able to safely and effectively run the event with minimal damage to the park grounds."
The Tecumseh Thunder baseball club is hosting Baseball Canada's Men's National Championship at the Lacasse Park diamond. A major restoration project is near completion, complete with a new grandstand and other amenities.
The Optimist Club said in its post to the Facebook group that McAuliffe Park will easily handle the festival, and all of the events and activities will be available at the new venue.
"A new site brings new ideas and a new feel. We are looking forward to being able to run this time-honoured event for the town of Tecumseh," read the post.
The Corn Festival began in the Town of Tecumseh in 1976, and it has grown into a red-letter event on the Windsor-Essex summer calendar. It is frequently listed as one of Ontario's Top-100 Festivals.
The festival was on a recent three-year hiatus, with the 2020 and 2021 editions cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022 version replaced with a festival celebrating Tecumseh's 100th birthday. Soon after, the Town of Tecumseh turned oversight of the Corn Festival over to the Optimist Club.
A schedule of events for the Corn Festival at McAuliffe Park has not been finalized.
WindsorNewsToday.ca has reached out to the Optimist Club but has not received a response at the time of publication.