Broom Corn Festival

From Broom Corn Festival Website:

Broom Corn Festival

Arcola celebrates its heritage as the "Broom Corn Capital of the World" with the renowned annual Broom Corn Festival. Visitors can see broom activities, arts/crafts, free entertainment, great food, and a gigantic parade with the Famous Lawn Rangers. Additional, visitors can participate in the ABC 5K and 10K races. The event, held the weekend after Labor Day, honors Arcola's position in the late nineteenth century as a center of broom corn production.

Arcola is famous for the Lawn Rangers, a "precision lawn mower drill team" that marches in formation with brooms and lawn mowers. Every year since 1980, the Lawn Rangers have marched in the Arcola Broomcorn Festival Parade. This unique custom was publicized by humor columnist Dave Barry, who marched with the Lawn Rangers in 1995 and has written columns about them. In 2003, President Barack Obama marched with the Lawn Rangers in the Chicago St. Patricks Day Parade to launch his race for the senate. As a result, The World Famous Amazing Arcola Lawn Rangers were invited to march in the 2009 Inaugural Parade in Washington D.C.