The club’s largest and most recognized fundraiser remains the annual McGregor Lions Corn Feed, held every Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. This year marks the 59th Corn Feed, coming up on September 6.
What began in 1969 with just 50 dozen ears of corn cooked in a large iron kettle over a blow torch has grown into a massive community celebration serving thousands of ears in a single afternoon.
As longtime Lion Oscar Maron once recalled, the first feeds were held in a simple airport hangar. After a storm destroyed that structure, members adapted, setting up tents and eventually expanding operations as crowds grew. Today, semi-loads carrying up to 12,000 ears of fresh-picked corn arrive the morning of the event. Volunteers husk, cook, butter and serve in an efficient operation that has been refined over nearly six decades.
More than just a meal, the Corn Feed has evolved into a full community gathering with bingo, music and activities. It remains the club’s primary fundraiser, generating funds that go right back into McGregor and the surrounding area.