Taber’s biggest celebration of the year is back this weekend. The 41st annual Taber Cornfest runs August 27 to 29 at Confederation Park, organized by the Taber and District Chamber of Commerce with support from the Town of Taber. Billed as western Canada’s largest free family festival, this year’s event promises new attractions, an expanded midway, and a mix of classic favourites.
The Cornfest Parade kicks things off on Thursday, August 27 at 4:00 p.m., following a new route along 50 Avenue from 47th Street to 57th Street. That section of 50 Avenue will be closed to traffic starting at 2:00 p.m. until the parade wraps up, so drivers should plan alternate routes. After the parade, former Edmonton Oilers captain and four-time Stanley Cup champion Craig MacTavish will be on site from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. as Taber kicks off its Kraft Hockeyville 2026 celebration.
One of the biggest new additions is a drone show on Friday night. The approximately 15-minute display is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. at Confederation Park, following a performance by Kate Reid and ahead of headliner Doc Walker. West Coast Amusements is also bringing one of its largest midways to the Community Centre parking lot, with roughly 35 rides and attractions. Wristbands cost $45 in advance or $55 at the gate.
Classic Cornfest events return throughout the weekend, including the chili cookoff, Show and Shine car show, Bull-A-Rama at the Taber Agri-Plex on Friday, and corn eating, stuffing, and tasting competitions. Saturday starts with the 34th annual Fun Run at 8:30 a.m., organized by the Town of Taber from the Aquafun Centre. Saturday night wraps up with a fireworks display at approximately 9:50 p.m., following a performance by Trainwreck and headliner Toronto.
The festival draws thousands of visitors each year and celebrates Taber’s famous sweet corn, which gets its extra sweetness from the region’s high number of sunshine days. For a full schedule and more details, visit the Taber Cornfest page.
