Kent Cornucopia Days to attract thousands of people
Published 10:55 am Thursday, July 7, 2016
Thousands of people will fill town this weekend for the 45th annual Kent Cornucopia Days.
The free festival includes a large street fair on downtown streets, dragon boat races on Lake Meridian, a 5K run and walk along the Green River, a youth soccer tournament at various fields and a Sunday parade through downtown. Bill Bryant, Republican candidate for governor, will be among the participants in the parade.
More than 200,000 people attend various Cornucopia Days events each year.
“Cornucopia Days is South King County’s oldest and largest festival featuring an enormous street fair with a wonderful array of booths offering a variety of items, delicious smells from the food court and entertainment to capture your attention,” Mayor Suzette Cooke said.
The Kent Lions, a nonprofit organization, produces the festival each year.
There is no carnival this year. Cooke said no place could be found to set up the carnival after King County officials said they would not allow the carnival this year to return to the Metro Park & Ride lot along West James Street.
The event began in the 1930s as the Kent Lettuce Festival before it went away during World War II. The festival came back n 1946 as the Cornucopia Festival. The event disappeared later for a number of years before the Kent Lions took over in 1972 calling the celebration Meeker Days before changing the name in 1980 to avoid confusion with a Puyallup festival.
KENT CORNUCOPIA DAYS
FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE
• Street Fair
Friday, July 8: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 9: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 10: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Cost
Free. Registration fee to participate in some events.
Information
Booth at First Avenue and Meeker streets, or visit kcdays.com.
Featured events
• 2 p.m. Friday – Kent Cornucopia Days (KCD) royalty will be crowned at the Plaza Stage, Town Square Plaza, Second and Smith streets.
• 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday – 15th annual KCD Dragon Boat Races, Lake Meridian, 14800 SE 272nd St. Info: seattledragonboatraces.com
• 9 a.m. Saturday – KCD 5K Fun Run and Walk, start and finish at Three Friends Fishing Hole Park on the Green River Trail. Info: active.com
• Friday-Sunday – 15th annual Cornucopia Cup Soccer Tournament, Wilson Playfields, Petrovitsky Park, Kentridge High School and Pea Patch Fields. Info: kentunited.org
• 2 p.m. Sunday – Grand parade, along Fourth Avenue, from Saar Street to Ramsey Street.
