The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

Old Fashioned Farmers Days dates set

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

This weekend will feature not one, but two longtime events. In addition to the Holiday at Home celebration, this weekend will feature the 39th annual Old Fashioned Farmers Days festival held at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds. The annual event will run from Thursday, July 2, through Sunday, July 5.

Antique auto racing is just one of the exciting events and activities planned for this year's Old Fashioned Farmers Days, which begins this Thursday, July 4. (VW independent file photo)
Antique auto racing is just one of the exciting events and activities planned for this year’s Old Fashioned Farmers Days, which begins this Thursday, July 2. (VW independent file photo)

This year’s event will bring back a number of popular events, including antique auto racing, the ever-popular Fiddler, Banjo and Harmonica Contest, the Mule, Donkey and Miniature Horse Show, a Quilt and Needle Arts Show and Chuck Schepfilin’s chain saw sculpting.

This year’s event will also feature a new event, the first annual Farmers Days Pageant, which will be held in the Junior Fair Building on Friday, July 3.

Thursday’s events will include an all-day trading post, the quilt show (from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.), an Antique Auto Association exhibition race in front of the grandstand (from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.), a car show, with music from the 1950s (4-8 p.m.), Animal Land (4-8 p.m.) and the Jess King Country Gospel group from 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the Convoy Band Stand.

Friday’s events include the formal opening ceremonies at 9 that morning, with the trading post and quilt and needle arts show also running all day. Animal Land will also be an all-day event both Friday and Saturday, while antique auto racing will again be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in front of the grandstand.

Friday will also include a kids’ old-fashioned cow milking contest at 4 p.m., Tractor Games at 5 p.m. and a Kids’ Pedal Tractor Pull at 6 Friday evening.

After the pageant, Blind Date will perform 1950s and 1960s music at the Convoy Band Stand.

On Saturday, an antique tractor pull will be held, starting at 9 a.m. Weigh-in for the pull is 8 Saturday morning.

Chuck Schepfilin will offer chain saw sculpting, starting at 9, with the trading post, Animal Land and the quilt/needle arts show all-day events.

The Mule, Donkey and Miniature Horse Show will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, with Kids’ and Adult Pedal Tractor Pulls held at 10 a.m.

Kids games will be held, starting at 11 a.m., with Soup Beans and Cornbread served at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Grace C. Giggles, The Clown with a Big Heart will be strolling around the fairgrounds from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, while the Fiddler, Banjo and Harmonica Contest will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Junior Fair Building.

The band Spittin’ Image will perform in the Junior Fair Building from 7-8:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday will include church services at 10 a.m., with Jess King Country Gospel, in the Junior Fair Building, with a Sunday dinner served from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

POSTED: 06/29/15 at 7:23 am. FILED UNDER: News