Crossroads Corn Roast startsoff the summer with food, drinks, and community

On Friday, May 29, Crossroads Chamber kicked off the summer with its Crossroads Corn Roast in downtown Crown Point.

The Corn Roast is home to much more than its name implies. The event does have ears of freshly steamed and roasted corn, but it’s really a celebration, a welcoming of the summer season for the Region and its residents.

Hundreds of attendees, from all across Northwest Indiana, gathered to enjoy rows of food trucks preparing county festival classics, such as corn dogs, kettle corn, and funnel cakes. Several of the Region’s small businesses set up tents under a pleasant late afternoon sun, connecting with attendees face-to-face. Musical acts took the stage at the far end of Corn Roast, blasting out classic American rock music to attendees of all ages lounging in folding chairs and beach towels set up on the grass.

The Crossroads Corn Roast has a rich history in Crown Point, dating back more than 50 years. Richard Day, the Co-Chair of the Corn Roast, has been involved with the event since 2009 as a volunteer. Three years later, he became the Corn Roast’s co-chair. The event, and his involvement with it, have grown throughout his 17-year tenure, but the goal of the event remains the same.

“It’s nice to see your neighbors, right?” Day said. “It’s nice to see people in the community, seeing their families grow up. It’s always nice to get back and do something that brings people together, and it kicks off the summer.”

The Crossroads Chamber Corn Roast is about more than just eating, drinking, and listening to local bands; it’s about bringing the community together. The Corn Roast’s eatery options, small business representatives, and musicians all work to get residents out of their homes and active in the city of Crown Point. All of these establishments and artists operate within the region, and the Corn Roast gives them an opportunity to connect with new customers in an exciting, festive atmosphere.

Events like the Corn Roast are symbolic of Crown Point’s great strength, a strength that not every town, city, or county is lucky enough to have- the residents are truly invested in each other’s lives.

“Crown Point is such a good community. There’s a lot of coming together that I don’t think every community has. We’re very blessed here,” Day said.

Soren Price, a marketing representative for Level10 Coatings, and the Presenting Sponsor of the Corn Roast, has made a strong attachment to the Crown Point community thanks to events like the Corn Roast.

“I’m from a small town, and there aren’t events like this,” Price said. “I’ve been living up here for the past two summers, and I run into a lot of people here, people who are really involved in the community.”

The Crossroads Chamber Corn Roast has been a Crown Point staple for over five decades, and it has stuck around for good reason. It’s a special event that brings people from all creeds, all ages, and all communities together to celebrate the start of summer.

More information on The Crossroads Chamber can be found here: crossroadschamber.org