MITCHELL — For those of a certain age, the name Bret Michaels conjures up memories of ’80s rock glory.
The frontman and singer for Poison is scheduled to hit the stage at the Corn Palace on Saturday, bringing with him his brand of raucous rock and roll, and maybe even a performance of hits like “Nothing But A Good Time” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.”
It’s expected to be a highlight of the 2025 Corn Palace Festival, following performances by country musician Justin Moore Thursday evening and Christian pop music musician Micah Tyler on Friday night. Organizers suspect there will be something for all festival-goers to enjoy at the Palace this year.
But not that long ago, the Corn Palace Festival was home to a tradition in another musical style – polka.
From 1980 to 2012, hundreds gathered every year at Mitchell’s main landmark to celebrate the Corn Palace Polka Festival. There, dancers and musicians would spend hours dancing and celebrating classic polka tunes such as “Beer Barrel Polka,” “Pennsylvania Polka” and “Just Because.”
The polka event kicked off the 1981 version of the Corn Palace Festival, and for many years polka music and dancing was part of the multi-day event before it moved to a September date separate from the Corn Palace Festival. It drew about 1,000 participants in 2011, and had as many 1,700 on the floor in 2004, according to articles in the Mitchell Republic.
It was a destination stop for polka fans from around the country, and over three decades it remained a cherished stop for fans of the genre. But come 2012, a list of issues with the event, including dwindling attendance attributed partly to an aging participant base, declining profit and wear and tear on the venue led organizers to discontinue the festival.
Mark Schilling, Corn Palace director in 2012, told the Mitchell Republic at the time that the gathering had run its course.
“In the past few years, we have really seen declining attendance numbers, and that has led to a decline in profit,” Schilling said.
The festival turned a small profit that year, but there were other factors to consider. There were costs incurred from needing Corn Palace staff for maintenance before and after the festival, and cleanup costs also added to the bill. Workers had to resurface the gym floor to make it ready for high school volleyball season.
Coupled with the declining attendance, the writing was on the wall for the once-beloved attraction at the Corn Palace. But it did leave a hole in the hearts of many polka fans.
“It is with great disappointment that a decision was made by the governing body of the city of Mitchell to discontinue the Polka Festival there,” Emil Hanson, of Onalaska, Wisconsin, wrote in part in a letter to the editor printed in the Mitchell Republic April 20, 2012. “It was one of the best in the nation.”
Several other letters from readers in Colorado, Illinois and other locales echoed the sentiment. Local participants also said they were saddened by the closing of the festival, including Billee Thompson, of Geddes.
Thompson, who was interviewed in 2012 about the festival, said the cancellation sent waves through the polka community.
“We travel all over for polka festivals and everywhere we go, we have people from Colorado, Kansas, from everywhere asking us why they aren’t going to have polka at the Corn Palace this year,” Thompson said.
Adam Thury / Mitchell Republic
It is always difficult to say goodbye to tradition, but Corn Palace officials said it’s a must to keep an eye on concert and festival trends to ensure entertainment acts are a solid draw for good crowds. That keeps people buying tickets and filling the seats, which is essential for profitability.
Jordan Hanson, mayor of Mitchell, said Corn Palace officials are always looking to draw acts that are interesting to area concertgoers. Recent feedback suggested the venue branch out and bring in acts from genres other than country, and Saturday’s date with Michaels should help broaden the appeal of Corn Palace Festival shows in general.
“County has typically performed very well, and that’s why we have a country artist this year. But last year we had Skillet, which performed very, very well,” Hanson said Friday. “And this year we have Bret Michaels, and we’re right over $100,000 in sales of tickets right now. It’s probably one of the better performing rock concerts.”
Competition with other venues and events for performers will always be tough, Hanson said, but organizers keep an eye on who is available for booking and then send offers out to their top picks. Sometimes they even catch a star early in their career. Jason Aldean played the Palace in 2008 just two years after his No. 1 breakthrough single “Why” made it to the top spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He’s sold 20 million albums in his career.
Mitchell Republic File Photo
Delivering what people want will always be a priority, Hanson said.
Last year’s country concert with Scotty McCreery came close to a sellout, while the festival’s featured rock act, Skillet, drew around 1,800 fans. Hanson said the city hopes to match or exceed that attendance with Michaels.
The evolution of acts performing at the Corn Palace Festival has been ongoing since the festival’s inception in 1892, when the Phinney Iowa State Band was the main act. In 1904, it was John Philip Sousa’s Band. In 1948, Lawrence Welk brought his polka stylings to the Palace for the first time, and he returned in 1954.
Since the turn of the century, more modern acts have stopped by. Big-name acts like Willie Nelson, Big and Rich and Bowling For Soup made appearances. As the years have rolled on, LeAnn Rimes, Joan Jett, Styx and Night Ranger have all graced the Palace stage.
It will be Bret Michaels’ turn Saturday night to add his name to the list.
“I’m sure Saturday will be pretty wild,” Hanson said.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.mitchellrepublic.com ’
