Sunday, December 02, 2007 Sto. Tomas launches corn festival By Liway C. Manantan-Yparraguirre
STO. Tomas -- Town officials formally launched Saturday the Corn Festival 2008 with the planting of hybrid glutinous corn at the town's five-hectare organic farmland.
Mayor Vivien Villar, Sto. Tomas town centennial celebration executive chairman, and Vice Mayor Timoteo Villar III, Corn Barbecue Festival chairman, led the ceremonial planting.
Villar said as highlight of the town's centennial foundation day on February 2008, Sto. Tomas will bid for the Guinness World Record for the longest barbecue using Klasika Hybrid Glutinous Corn.
Villar said the corn harvested from what they planted Saturday will be grilled. It will be supplemented with the harvest from barangays Sto. Domingo, San Jose, and San Antonio.
The Longest Corn Barbecue Festival will be held on February 10. They will be using 2,028 grills (each measuring 2.4 meters) with the total length of 4,948 kilometers.
The grills will cover the road from Sto. Tomas-Rosales boundary in the east to Sto. Tomas-Alcala boundary in the west.
About 300,000 corn ears will be prepared. Of which, 130,000 will be used on the initial grilling. There will also be 6,085 grillers and 10 supervisors. About 1,500 sacks of charcoal will be used.
Last Saturday, the people conducted a second dry run utilizing 90 grills with a total length of 75 meters. About 4,000 corn ears were grilled.
The Centennial Celebration starts on February 1, 2008. Activities include the Centennial Agro-Industrial Fair, Alumni Homecoming, Grand Day for Non-Government Organizations, and the Educator's Day. There will also be an LGU, Professionals and Business Sectors Day, Seafarers' Day, and a Balikbayan Day. 101 Ways to Cook Mais (corn) and Street Dancing will also be expected.
Balikbayans from the US are expected to come home to attend the centennial celebration, Villar added.
