Kimberly Meaker, The Mendota Reporter advertising manager displays the trophies to be awarded during the 70th annual Mendota Sweet Corn Festival Parade on Aug. 13. (Reporter photo by Jennifer Sommer)

MENDOTA – Winners in this year’s Sweet Corn Festival Parade will be receiving glistening prizes through the generosity of The Mendota Reporter.

The shimmering gold and orange trophies will be given to units representing cities (Friendship Division), businesses (Commercial Division), and not-for profit organizations (Organization Division). They will also be awarded to Performance Units, those groups that do performances along the parade route, such as dance/cheer squads, marching/precision units, martial arts groups, etc. No unit or group that is a paid performer will be judged. The above groups and units will be judged as they go by the reviewing stand during the parade.

A special trophy, “Best Use of A Sweet Corn Theme” is awarded to a unit in the Friendship, Commercial or Organization Divisions that has elected to decorate with sweet corn or use a sweet corn theme.

Trophies will also be awarded to three groups that are prejudged before the parade steps off. They are the Antique and Classic Vehicles and the Antique Farm Implements. Since they are prejudged the winning units will receive their prizes as they approach the reviewing stand during the parade itself.

The Parade Grand Marshal, Del Knowlton and the new 2017 Sweet Corn Festival Queen will also pre-judge the parade and select their favorite units to receive one of the prestigious prizes.

The Mendota Reporter reminds everyone parade step off is 1 p.m. on Sweet Corn Festival Sunday, Aug. 13.