MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Every Corn Palace Festival is a success when measured by the enjoyment of those who attend the midway, see the displays and take in the entertainment. However, some years are more financially successful than others.
Corn Palace Festival 2023 lost $574, which frankly is peanuts when one considers the number of people the festival brings to town and the sales tax those folks generate with the money they spend outside the midway. However, the City Council prefers to make money on the festival. This year, according to Mayor Jordan Hanson, the preliminary figures show a profit of around $77,000 for the festival.
Scotty McCreery was roughly 200 tickets short of selling out and Skillet did nearly as well, falling 800 tickets short of a sellout. Ticket sales for the midway rides were down but higher prices meant that there was still a small profit made from the midway.
The final figures are being compiled and will be formally presented to the City Council in the near future. Plans are already beginning for Corn Palace Festival 2025 even as the Corn Palace begins to shift gears in preparation for the upcoming basketball season.