The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

2017 OFFD events, activities announced

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

In addition to the Holiday at Home celebration, another longtime festival, Old Fashioned Farmers Days, will be held this weekend in conjunction with the Independence Day holiday.

Antique farm equipment is just one draw during Old Fashioned Farmers Days, which runs through Sunday on the Van Wert County Fairgrounds. VW independent file photo

The 41st annual edition of the agriculture-themed festival will begin this morning and run through Sunday, July 2, at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds. The festival, founded in 1976, was first held on the Clay farm near Rockford before gradually moving toward its present site at the fairgrounds in 1987.

The festival is organized by the Old Fashioned Farmers Association, which provides a number of events and activities over the festival’s four-day run.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 9 this morning at the fairgrounds, while the trading post will open at 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. today.

A Quilt and Needle Arts Show will begin at 9 and run through 7 p.m. today, while Animal Land will be open from 4-8 p.m. and a car show that includes Fifties music will run from 4-8 p.m. today.

On Friday, the trading post, quilt show, and Animal Land will all open at 9 a.m., followed by the Powder Puff and Junior tractor pulls, which begin at 10 Friday morning.

A Kids’ Old Fashioned Cow Milking Contest will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, with tractor games at 5 Friday afternoon, and a Kids’ Pedal Tractor Pull held at 6 p.m. Friday.

A Tug-A-Truck event will begin, sponsored by the Van Wert County Fair Board, will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, while Blind Date will perform Fifties and Sixties music at the Convoy Band Stand from 7-9 p.m. Friday.

Saturday includes a large number of events and activities, with a weigh-in for an Antique Tractor Pull beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Beginning at 9 a.m. will be the Antique Tractor Pull, Division I and II, while chainsaw sculpting, will also begin at 9. The trading post will run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., while Animal Land and the Quilt & Needle Arts Show will run from 9 a.m. until 7 Saturday evening.

A Kids’ Pedal Tractor Pull will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, as does an Adult Pedal Tractor Pull.

An Indiana Relic Show will run from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., while the Jayland Carvers will be at the festival from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday.

A Barney Fife lookalike will stroll the grounds at various times on Saturday, while Kids’ Games will begin at 11 a.m. and the Len Collier Band will perform from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Crestview Band Stand.

AT 11:30 a.m., bean soup and cornbread will be served, while Hula Hoopin’ Heather will performed during the afternoon on Saturday.

Ronald McDonald will make an appearance at 2 p.m. Saturday, with the popular Fiddler, Banjo, & Harmonica Contest also beginning at 2 Saturday afternoon in the Junior Fair Building.

At 4 p.m., the Kids’ Old Fashioned Cow Milking Contest will begin, as well as a show by the Faith Singing Group, which will run until 5 Saturday evening.

The Mule Skinner Band will perform from 6-8 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday’s activities will begin with a church service featuring the Morse Family Gospel Singers at 10 that morning.

A Sunday dinner will be served from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., with auction leftovers sold at noon.

POSTED: 06/29/17 at 8:00 am. FILED UNDER: News