Category Archives: Hughes Corn Flower Events

World’s largest public Corn Flower glassware collection undergoing ‘big upgrade’

From Orangeville.com:

The rare blues and purples found in the world’s largest public collection of Corn Flower glassware is expected to sparkle even brighter once the Dufferin County Museum and Archives wakes from a winter hibernation.

From now until spring, the museum will be closed to the public as it undergoes a $450,000 renovation project for its W.J. Hughes & Sons Corn Flower Limited glassware collection.

“A lot of people that have Corn Flower collections in their home might not realize that it came from Dufferin County,” said Dufferin County Museum and Archives (DCMA) curator Sarah Robinson, noting the museum’s collection of more than 2,000 pieces features some of the rarest Corn Flower items around.

“We have groupings of blue and purple (Corn Flower glassware) that are especially rare,” Robinson said. “Very few collectors across North America that would have the pieces in our collection.”

Corn Flower Festival returns for its 15th year

From Orangeville.com:

One of the area’s greatest claims to fame will be celebrated at the Dufferin County Museum and Archives.

On Sunday, June 2, the annual Corn Flower Festival returns for its 15th year.

Between 1940 and 1980, nearly every Canadian household was home to a piece of Corn Flower glass, the creation of Amaranth native W.J. Hughes, according to the museum’s curator Wayne Townsend.

“It is a big claim to fame,” Townsend said. “It’s hard to find anyone other than prime ministers where everybody instantly recognizes the name.”

Each year, upwards of 300 people visit the museum to view its collection of more than 1,200 pieces of Corn Flower glass.

Corn Flower Festival returns to the museum

From the Orangeville Banner:

The Dufferin County Museum & Archives’ (DCMA) annual Corn Flower Festival is returning for its 14th year.

The exhibit, held June 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will focus on showing the museum’s “stuff.”

More than 600 pieces of glass will be displayed during the event, including the museum’s coloured blanks collection dating back to 1920.

11th Corn Flower festival coming to museum

From the Orangeville Citizen:

Dufferin County Museum and Archives (DCMA) will celebrate the famous Corn Flower glassware pattern at its Annual Corn Flower Festival this Sunday, June 7.

Pete and Lois (Hughes) Kayser, the owners and former operators of the WJ Hughes Corn Flower Company will be on hand to answer Corn Flower questions and visitors will be able to meet Krista Taylor, author of the “Canadian Identification & Price Guide to W. J. Hughes Corn Flower Glass” and Wayne Townsend, DCMA Curator and author of “Corn Flower – Creatively Canadian”.

Also planned for the day are ‘share sessions’, a consignment sale, live auction of Corn Flower glassware, and presentations focusing on you, the collector!

Museum Matters

From the Orangeville Citizen:

How does Dufferin celebrate its heritage? Traditionally, by involving the entire community and by celebrating all year long! The staff of the Dufferin County Museum and Archives are looking forward to 2009. Why? Because they are planning events and programs for the whole community for the whole year to celebrate their 15th anniversary at the site on Airport Road in Mulmur Township.

To start, the entire facility will have new exhibits for 2009. First, opening in February, Corn Flower:, “Decades of Design” will feature the DCMA’s nationally known W. J. Hughes Corn Flower collection showcased with fashion items dating from the early 1920s to the 1980s. The exhibit features everything from sleek geometric deco to the free form styles of the swinging 1960s.

Museum celebrates Corn Flower glass

From the Georgetown Independent & Free Press:

Archives celebrates the famous Corn Flower glassware pattern at its annual Corn Flower Festival, this Sunday (June 8).
Pete and Lois (Hughes) Kayser, the owners and former operators of the W.J. Hughes Corn Flower Company will be on hand to answer questions on Corn Flower. Meet Krista Taylor, author of the Canadian Identification & Price Guide to W. J. Hughes Corn Flower Glass, and Wayne Townsend, DCMA curator and author of Corn Flower – Creatively Canadian.

9th Annual Corn Flower Festival

It has been a loooong time since either my Dad (Brian) or I wrote, but I’m going to try to be better this year.

I got some information from the Hills of Headwaters web site about the 9th Annual Corn Flower Festival:

9th Annual Corn Flower Festival

Attention glassware collectors and enthusiasts – join Dufferin County Museum and Archives to celebrate Corn Flower.

View the Museum’s extensive glassware collection and company archives of once local W J Hughes Corn Flower Company.  Also take in the consignment sale and special presentations.  Meet and discuss your ‘passion for the pattern’ with Lois and Pete Kayser, owners and former operators of  W J Hughes and Wayne Townsend, DCMA curator and author of the book “Corn Flower : Creatively Canadian”.

Date(s): Jun 3, 2007
Time(s): 10am – 4pm
Cost: $10, children under 5 FREE.
Ticket Information: Dufferin County Museum and Archives, Highway 89 & Airport Rd.
Contact: DCMA 705-435-1881 or 1-877-941-7787
Email: events@dufferinmuseum.com
Web Site: www.dufferinmuseum.com

2004 Corn Flower Festival

The annual Corn Flower Festival was held this past Sunday June 6 at the Dufferin County Museum. It is held every year on the Sunday closest to Lois Kaysers’ birthday. As you know Lois is the daughter of W. J. Hughes who developed the wonderful Corn Flower pattern. In conjunction with the festival a birthday dinner is held on the preceding Saturday evening to honour Lois’ birthday. Marsha and I were invited to attend the dinner this year along with a few other avid collectors and friends and family of Lois. The food was delicious and the company was great. Before and after the dinner we were able to preview all of the exhibits. Unfortunately Marsha and I were not able to stay over for the actual festival on Sunday but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on Saturday evening. We have already made plans to be there both days next year.