UPDATE – July 1, 2016 / Congratulations to Will Long on winning the inaugural Challenge Butter corn on the cob eating contest at Naperville Ribfest. The contest to see who can clean an ear of corn the fastest continues every afternoon at 2016 Ribfest with prizes for the winner. To watch or participate (if space is available), wind through the maize of festival-goers to find the contest set up near the OneMain Financial Stage in the South Park.
Original Post – June 24, 2016 / The Exchange Club of Naperville 2016 Ribfest has set aside time every day for the inaugural Challenge Butter Corn-on-the-Cob eating contest. The new event for all ages will be held in front of the OneMain Financial Stage in the South Park beginning at 4:30PM on July 1 and July 2, 4PM on July 3, and 3:30PM on July 4.
Sponsored by Challenge Butter, every sweet ear of corn will be slathered in hot melted Challenge Butter, event coordinator Erin O’Donnell said.
Challenge Butter is 100 percent real butter with nothing artificial, so every kernel of corn will taste great. The fun is that the delicious butter also makes every ear of corn slippery! How quickly will contestants get all the kernels off the cob?
Challenge Butter logo with elk marks event location
To find the corn booth where the contest begins, look for Challenge Butter logo that shows the elk on the package. Also look for Exchange Club of Naperville member Kevin Dolan who is serving as emcee to call the corny shots of the event and determine the winner.
If you’re new to Corn-on-the-Cob eating contests, here’s how to play: Sign up in advance for one of the competitive categories. (Kids, Teens, Military veterans, Women, BBQ competitors, Men, Service Clubs, etc.)
Play begins at 4:30PM Friday and Saturday, 4PM on Sunday and 3:30PM on Monday at Ribfest with 6-8 contestants per category.
All contestants in the round will be asked to keep their hands behind their back as they are given a paper plate with the same size ear of corn.
After Dolan signals “Go!” contestants will pick up the ear and eat the corn on the cob as fast as they can in an attempt to “clean the cob.”
When contestants think they are “clean,” they put their corn down and throw their hands up high.
Dolan will tell all other contestants to stop and put their corn down so he can inspect the corn cob of the person who claimed her cob was clean (while the others watch/wait).
If the cob is clean, the winner will be proclaimed.
If too many kernels are left, Dolan will point out what’s left and tell the contestant he’s not done yet and inform “all contestants to get ready to get going again” with hands behind back, etc.
And so it goes until one clean cob is determined acceptable by Dolan. Some might say amazing prizes will be awarded. Others will simply play for bragging rights and photos.
Clean chins won’t determine the winners. Just clean the corn cob, please.
For more info about all the music, food and fun stuff happening for all ages at the four-day festival, visit www.ribfest.net.
Photos courtesy of Chris Codington for Challenge Butter.
