ARCOLA - Doris Schrock was putting her souvenir broom to good use in two ways Saturday as rain fell on the 37th Annual Arcola Broom Corn Festival.

"I'm using both ends," the Arthur resident said after sweeping water away from the back of her street-side Longaberger Basket tent. "And you can take the top of the handle to push off water from corners of the tent."

Schrock was muddling through like many exhibitors and visitors Saturday during stormy weather that ranged from scattered raindrops to downpours early Saturday. Fortunately, the crowd was respectable for a rainy day.

"It's our 37th year, so we're established with the public," said Terry Thornton, whose family has helped with public address duties for practically every Broom Corn Festival. "People know rain or shine, we're going to be here. The rain might get us wet, but it won't dampen our spirits."

Five-year-old Cory Adams and his 3-year-old brother, Justin, were undaunted by the rainfall Saturday morning. They were tugging at the arms of their parents, Rodney and April, to head toward another ride or vendor tent with toys.

"I work third shift, so this is our opportunity to come together. That's what I like about this," said Rodney Adams, an Arcola resident.

And it was a chance for April Adams to look over displays of candles. While the boys reveled in the rain, she stayed under a large umbrella.

Karen Moss was offering a brighter path to festival visitors wanting a dry place to eat lunch. She was wearing a huge advertising sign for the Arcola Methodist Church Women fundraiser lunch. With a booming voice, she was getting the message across on the menu sandwiches and homemade desserts at the nearby church while pounding the brick pavement in Arcola.

"I'm trying to pick people up a bit with all this rain and show them an alternative to getting soaked while you eat," Moss said.

The Broom Corn Festival is a chance for many charities or organizations to raise money. Many of them were lined up along the street, including some Cub Scouts shouting to sell lemon shakeups. There were so many aromas in the festival area with food booths cooking meats or mixing fruits or sweet deserts. One aroma hard to miss was fresh kettle popcorn.

"We're from Quincy, and we've been coming here for 10 years," Brian Breckenkamp said at the Kettle Korn tent, one of several food vendors selling the other kind of corn familiar to Illinois.

Why does a festival dedicated to brooms sweep in so many people, even on a day for a mop?

"I think people like coming to Arcola because of the centralized location. It makes for easy day trips, and you're still getting into the small-town atmosphere," Breckenkamp said while his crew of friends poured in the corn and stirred it with long wooden handles in large kettles.

"We look forward to it every year," said Jennifer Breckenkamp, Brian's wife. "It has a variety of vendors, great food and a lot of talent."

As the rainfall stopped at about noon for some needed respite, the festival seemed to brighten up with more people hitting the streets, and carnival rides cranking up again.

Barring dangerous weather, the festival was scheduled to keep going through today.

Herb Meeker can be reached at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869