by Stephen J. Donnelly, for Vernon Downs

Vernon, NY — There is still plenty of time to celebrate summer at Vernon Downs with several special events and promotions that are expected to attract huge crowds next month.

Aug. 14 through Aug. 16 promises to be a “Corntastic” Weekend at Vernon Downs as the popular annual event returns again this year with free grilled corn for everyone and special events planned for each day of the festival.

A corn tossing contest kicks off the celebration on Friday. Three lucky fans will participate in the contest which requires contestants to attempt to toss an ear of corn into a basket from varying distances. For each successful toss, the contestant will receive a $25 wagering voucher (up to a possible $100 towards future wagers).

Then on Saturday, the corn contest shifts to corn husking with six randomly selected contestants given three minutes to shuck as many ears of corn as possible.

Finally, the fun concludes on Sunday with a corn eating contest. Up to eight contestants will eat as many ears of grilled corn as possible in three minutes.

Top finishers of the Saturday and Sunday contests will receive wagering vouchers in various amounts up to $100.

“We always look forward to offering events like the Corntastic Weekend to allow our guests to enjoy unique contests and entertainment in addition to the thrill of live racing,” said Jeff Gural, CEO and Chairman of American Racing and Entertainment LLC. “We look forward to continuing to welcome large crowds like we saw for our recent Budweiser Clydesdales event throughout the rest of the summer.”

An audience of 7,000 people packed Vernon Downs this past Sunday to get a glimpse of the Budweiser Clydesdales. The world-famous horses spent the week housed at the Vernon Downs stables, culminating in a public meet and greet. Visitors had a chance to view the horses harnessed and hitched to the famous red beer wagon under the canopy at Vernon Downs.

A huge night of racing on Friday (Aug. 21) boasts an exciting line-up beginning at post time of 6:45 p.m. Among the evening’s races include the Crawford Farms $175,000 Open Trot, the Muscle Hill $175,000 Open Mare Trot, the Artiscape $175,000 Open Mare Pace and the New York Sire Stakes 2-year-old filly pace. The first 400 fans who buy a racing program will receive a special giveaway, and all guests are invited to stay after the last race to enjoy a spectacular summer fireworks show.

The anticipation for the million dollar ball drop will draw to a conclusion on Aug. 30 during live racing with a 1:15 p.m. post time. Guests have until Aug. 16 to enter the contest. Prior to Aug. 30, 500 fans will be randomly selected and assigned to a ball, numbered 1 to 500. On Aug. 30, 500 numbered golf balls will be dropped from the top of a fire truck ladder onto a target area in the infield of the racetrack. Prior to the drop, one randomly generated number will be placed into a sealed envelope. If the ball dropped closest to the target hole is that same pre-selected number in the sealed envelope, the guest will win $1 million to be paid out over 40 years. If the number doesn’t match, the winner is guaranteed to receive $5,000.

In addition to live harness racing, Vernon Downs offers 767 of the most popular slot machines. A variety of eateries are also part of the entertainment complex. Jeff Gural owns Vernon Downs in Vernon, N.Y., and Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y.

Tioga Downs is the lone bidder for the state’s final full gaming license in the Southern Tier region. Once awarded, Tioga Downs will expand its facility and workforce to accommodate live casino gaming. In the last decade, Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs have created more than 700 family-sustaining jobs.

For more information on Vernon Downs, please visit www.vernondowns.com.