ROCHESTER, Ind. — Families seeking a Father’s Day weekend getaway may want to go to northern Indiana for the 15th annual Fulton County Historical Power Show, June 16-18.

 

The show is on the Fulton County Historical Society grounds along U.S. 31, just north of Rochester. The show hours are Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This year John Deere tractors will be featured, but all brands will be displayed. “Normally we have 1,500 to 2,000 (attendees) with 300 plus tractors, garden tractors and hit-n-miss engines,” said Melinda Clinger, Secretary at the Fulton County Historical Society. “Last year we did a Gathering of the Orange with Allis Chalmers and had 900 pieces of equipment that were just Allis.”

Admission to the event is $5 for adults, age 12 and older; children are free. Tram rides and free parking will be available. The grounds are handicap accessible.

The event will host an array of guests who will show antique tractors, lawn tractors, hit-n-miss engines, farm equipment and antique trucks. There will be a toy show and vendors providing various foods, crafts, flea market items and swap parts on grounds. Also, the Fulton County Museum and a Living History Village called Loyal, Indiana, will be free of charge to festival goers. Visitors to the museum who do not attend will have to pay regular admissions.

New to this year’s event is Jim Wolfe of Medaryville, Ind., who will set up his train display and give train car rides to children throughout the weekend. A parade of trucks and tractors will take place Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m.

Tractor games will be played all three days, starting at 2 p.m. This will be followed by a light and medium weight antique tractor pull at 7 p.m. On Saturday, there will be a Powder Puff ladies pull starting at 1 p.m., a Pedal Tractor Pull for children at 2:30 p.m. and Lily Pearl’s Square Dancing Tractors will perform at 4 p.m.

Food will be served on site including hot and cold sandwiches, onion rings, Kettle Korn, ice cream, elephant ears and cotton candy. There will be an all-youcan-eat breakfast buffet each morning at 7 a.m. Biscuits and gravy, hash browns, scrambled eggs, ham, pancakes, fruit and drinks will be served.

A sub-sandwich and homemade pie will be served for lunch in an air-conditioned meeting room in the museum.

“The Power Show was started to help keep the history of farming and agriculture alive,” said Clinger. “Grandpas can bring their grandchildren and teach them about the tractors that they used growing up.”

Every year, the event features one farm and one business specifically. Smith Family Farms of Rochester, who collect John Deere farm equipment, will be this year’s featured farm. The Smiths and other collectors will have memorabilia and tractor displays in a large shelter located in center field.

Day Hardware of Akron, Ind. is this year’s featured business. The company is celebrating 121 years of business and will also have its memorabilia exhibit in center field.

Numerous demonstrations will take place at various times throughout the event and will include an Amish sawmill, steam engines and much more. To learn more, call Melinda Clinger at 574-223-4436 or email her at melinda@rtcol.com