The Brief
• The Holmen American Legion announced the cancellation of Kornfest festival for 2026
• Funding challenges, limited support and volunteer shortages forced the difficult decision
• The organization hopes to bring back the popular August festival in future years with stronger community involvement
HOLMEN, Wis. (WKBT) — The Holmen American Legion announced Thursday that the beloved Kornfest festival will not take place in 2026.
The organization cited a combination of funding challenges, limited support and a shortage of volunteers as the primary reasons for the cancellation. The decision affects one of the area’s most anticipated annual events, typically held the third weekend in August.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce The Holmen American Legion will not be having Kornfest this year,” the organization stated on the Holmen Kornfest Facebook page. “Unfortunately, a combination of funding challenges, limited support, and a shortage of volunteers made it impossible to move forward. This decision didn’t come lightly, and we know many of you were looking forward to it as much as we were.”
Despite the full festival cancellation, the Holmen American Legion will host an outdoor tent event with entertainment on the Saturday that Kornfest normally takes place. The scaled-down gathering will include food service and other activities, providing the community with a smaller alternative to the traditional celebration.
The festival has served as a cornerstone community event since 1965, offering free admission and featuring food tents with sweet buttered corn, a beer garden, live music, volleyball, bingo, softball tournaments and a carnival. The event also includes an annual parade and a car show swap meet promoted as one of the largest in the Midwest.
The cancellation represents a significant loss for the Holmen community, which has relied on the festival as both an economic driver and social gathering point. Local businesses typically benefit from increased foot traffic during the festival weekend, while families have made attending Kornfest an annual tradition.
Despite the disappointing news, the Holmen American Legion expressed gratitude for community support over more than six decades.
“Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support over the last 61 years,” the organization stated. “We hope to bring the festival back in the future with stronger resources and community involvement.”
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