The Great Lakes Beer Festival Cornhole Tournament is set for 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at Dow Diamond.

A popular backyard game is expanding into a broader Midland competition. The Great Lakes Beer Festival Cornhole Tournament is set to take place Saturday at Dow Diamond.

The cornhole tournament, hosted by Michigan Cornhole, will take place 2-7 p.m. during the Great Lakes Beer Festival Tournament.  Check-in begins at 2 p.m. with the competition starting at 3 p.m.

For Michigan Cornhole Owner Joe Clair, pairing the cornhole tournament with the beer festival is like pairing peanut butter and jelly.

When Tony Garant of Michigan Brew Trail reached out to him about the event partnership, Clair saw the opportunity as a “no brainer.” He explained that Michigan Cornhole has previously hosted events in the Midland area and he is excited at the chance to return.

“Beer is going to be flowing and bags are going to be flying,” Clair said.

Twenty cornhole boards will be set up in the outfield of Dow Diamond. Although the competition begins at 2 p.m., spectators will also have a chance to play a game or two of their own during the afternoon.

Prizes for the cornhole tournament are cash pay-outs, $500 for first place, $300 for second place, $100 for third place and $50 for fourth and fifth places. This is a Michigan Cornhole League ranked event.

For Clair, one of cornhole’s largest draws is its social aspect. People can chat and form relationships as they play. He has seen cornhole players meet as strangers, leave as friends, even go on to compete professionally. He hopes the Aug. 20 tournament will entice  newcomers and inspire them to attend future events.

“It’s exciting to watch people go through our leagues and become a professional cornhole player,” Clair said.

Contestants will compete with their own partner in a double elimination, single-game bracket. They will be allowed to bring their own bags or use bags provided by the tournament. All bags must be regulation size and weight; corn-filled bags will not be allowed.

Players will earn a point for each bag that lands on the board and three points for each bag that makes it into the hole. The first team to 21 points wins the game.

Clair offered pointers for making the perfect toss, saying that the key is to “spin to win.” He explained that putting a slight spin on the bag – as opposed to simply tossing it – helps the bag rotate toward the hole. He also said consistency is key, which can be obtained by working on technique and developing muscle memory.

“Everybody can play it,” Clair said. “But to be good at it, it takes hard work.”

The cost to enter the cornhole tournament is $15, in addition to the $45 admission to the beer festival, which must be purchased in advance; the deadline to register is Thursday, Aug. 18. Tickets can be purchased through www.greatlakesbeerfestival.com.

Clair encourages those who are interested in participating to sign up sooner rather than later. There is a 250-team cap on registration.

Teams from around the state are expected to attend. Michigan Cornhole hosts local leagues, fundraisers, corporate events and tournaments. Clair reported the organization is well on its way to hosting over 150 events this year. No matter the occasion, one of the main goals is to make sure that they’re fun and provide people a chance to socialize while playing.

“We have a great cornhole family in Michigan,” Clair said. “They’re the greatest group that loves to get together and have a great time. They tend to follow us to our events.”

Victoria Ritter grew up in Midland and after earning a degree in English at Grand Valley State University, returned. She joined the Daily News as its newsroom clerk, and eventually began editing obituaries, and in 2016 wrote her first article. She loves the arts, from reading and creative writing to catching a movie or singing in her church choir.