Baby Boomer Traveling: You said Corn what?

I said Cornyval. That little festival that's been going on in Helotes right after Fiesta since 1966.
Really, 1966? Yea, really. Where? Helotes Festival grounds located on Leslie Road (right off of Bandera Road) across from the O'Connor H. S. entry.
And your thinking to yourself what's so great about Cornyval and why should I be there.

Well I'm not much for crowds if I can help it so all the big festivities of Fiesta such as the Oyster Bake or NIOSA leave me thinking I'll just stay home. Cornyval wasn't elbow to *cough* elbow people. There were folks in attendance but I had some air between me and the next person. Something I tend to like.
The parades are nice but the San Antonio Battle of Flowers parade begins at 1 p.m. in the afternoon when the weather can be upwards of 90 degrees. However the Cornyval parade is at 8:30 a.m. a time that makes it a lot cooler to attend.
Parking also is better at Cornyval as there was no charge for us on Friday night, traffic was manageable and the walk from vehicle to festival grounds didn't require an overnight bag.
Carnival I mean Cornyval has a carnival midway just like most other festivals including Fiesta. Smaller lines, meant less wait and without wall to wall people I didn't feel like I was suffocating.
Money challenged folks, those who like to spend money and those who don't can both be comfortable at Cornyval. Depending on the day there may be no entry charge, a set price wristband that will allow your kids/grandkids unlimited midway rides, and if you like to rodeo then you can attend the Helotes PRCA rodeo.
Music, a cold one and your sweetie holding you as y'all two step across the dance floor is all available at Cornyval. The night we chose to go was Friday night and there were two bands playing two different kinds of music, lots of line dancing and two-stepping going on and plenty of folks just toe tapping while sitting at the tables and benches all within the covered dance pavillion.
And don't think you have to go hungry, because you don't. Almost every non-profit from the northwest area was in attendance hawking all kinds of yummy treats to satisfy your cravings. Sausage on a stick, roasted and boiled corn, tacos, brisket, Pilipinno food, funnel cakes, corn dogs and the list goes on. And the good news is that all these non-profits use the profits made at Cornyval to work all year long towards their goals of making lives better in the northwest part of Bexar county.
Arts & Crafts folks were also in attendance selling the unique and fun, the purely Texas and the only they have items. We saw "pet" rocks from the Helotes Humane Society, handmade bird houses, one of a kind Fiesta style wreaths, cowboy hats (and cowgirl hats), hand tooled leather items and so much more.

Sometimes the best things aren't the biggest, the ones most attended. We spent a little time, a little money and we left with a lot of smiles from Cornyval. I would recommend this festival as one not to be missed.