“OLDEN DAYS” Festival, the original steam-gas-threshing show in Jersey County, Illinois is sponsored by the Tri-County Antique Club. The very first show held in conjunction with Jerseyville’s celebration of our country’s Bi-Centennial in 1976, spurred a group of enthusiastic people from the Tri-County area to form and charter the Tri-County Antique Club in Jersey County. From that time on, these dedicated men and women, almost 200 strong in membership, have been striving to preserve our local rural history and teaching future generations how “Grandma and Grandpa used to live”. The affordable admission price is $3.00 per day for adults over 12 years old. Because this is a family oriented event, Kids 11 and under are admitted free
Members are busy preparing for the 16th Annual “OLDEN DAYS” Festival on August 26 and 27, 2006 on the club grounds “under the windmill” at 23946 State Highway 3, Dow, IL in southwest Jersey County, just 2 miles west of Junction 109. A display of Antique Engines and Tractors will feature the John Deere tractor and the Maytag engine. Anyone is welcome to exhibit their engines and tractors, regardless of make; or display any old machinery that they may have. All exhibitors are admitted free and will receive a coupon for trade at the club food stand. The festival will be open both Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Cooper-Bessemer engine that was donated to the club from the Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, MO will also be on display. Progress has been made on the old Otterville Town Hall building, which was formerly the office & pharmacy of the late Dr. J. A. Flautt, and will again be open to the public.
There will be Threshing, and a Sawmill. Many other old-time ways of doing things will be demonstrated. The farm equipment demonstrated at “OLDEN DAYS” is the link between today’s sophisticated machinery and the days when farming was almost all done by hand – without the help of machinery. Try your hand at crafting your own scarecrow, using the straw that has been freshly threshed. Kits will be furnished to help you do this. Just come watch us thresh!
Saturday, August 26 is Kids Day. There will be a Garden Tractor Pull on Saturday, August 26, at 10 a.m. with special classes just for kids and also a “Grass Cutters” class. Beginning at 11 a.m. Maggie, the Clown will be making animals from balloons, and a Pedal Tractor Pull will be held at 1 p.m., with ribbons and prizes. Raymond Family Skydivers, will be “jumping in” on us both days at Noon. There also will be a Straw Scramble for the kids with prizes, and rides on the “Bucking Bronco” will be available both days for free. A Parade of Power will also be held on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Sunday’s activities will begin at 9 a.m. with a Cowboy Church. Featured will be area southern gospel singing group, Master’s Plan. Our speaker for this service will be Rev. Jerry Coborn, who has been a Missionary all over the world. An Antique Car Show will be held on Sunday, August 27, beginning at 11 a.m. All car exhibitors are admitted free with no registration fee and also receive a coupon in trade from the club’s food stand. There are also lots of prizes for exhibitors of the cars and each exhibitor receives a “goodie bag”. Come on out and select the “People’s Choice”. Also on Sunday beginning at NOON is an Antique Tractor Pull, for any tractor 1957 and older.
Lots of Craft and Flea Market Vendors will be on hand. There will also be demonstrations of “lost arts”, such as tatting, basket making, soap making, blacksmithing, broommaking, a Black Powder display and Herbal salves. Plenty of good old-fashioned food will be available both days. Club members will serve breakfast – pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs each day beginning at 7 a.m.until 10:00 a.m. They will also be serving their famous Ham “N Beans and cornbread, and butterfly pork chops done by the Jersey County Pork Producers, as well as homemade pie. Several other area organizations will also be serving food. Come on out early, beat the heat, and check out our peaceful country setting.
The Club’s Auxiliary has donated a handmade queensized quilt. which will be raffled at the club’s 16th Annual “OLDEN DAYS” Festival on Sunday, August 27 at 4 p.m. The club is also raffling an Allis Chalmers WD45 pedal Tractor. Corporate member, Prairie Land Power, donated this. A whole processed hog donated by club members Bill & Julie Finkes is also being raffled. Chances for these items are $1.00 each or 6/$5.00, and can be purchased from any member. A 50/50 drawing will be held at 4 p.m. both days.
Everett Vestel “OLD TIME FIDDLER” with Butch Purcell will be on hand both days for your listening enjoyment, and we will again be joined by the Uptown String Band featuring Janet Voegli, Champion Banjo Player of the 2003 Illinois State Fair. From Traditional Bluegrass to gospel and classic rock performed Bluegrass style, the Uptown String Band has something to offer everyone. Lively humorous performances are a hallmark of this band, who make their homes in rural Rockbridge, and Carlinville, Illinois. This family band is never afraid to laugh at themselves or anyone else. Anytime the Uptown String Band is on stage, you’re guaranteed a good time!
“OLDEN DAYS” is a community event and we would like to see everyone in this area participate. For more information on the Tractor Display contact Dave Kelly at 618-372-8693, Hit & Miss Engines – Jack Rudolph at 618-786-3803 or James E. Hall, DVM at 618-498-4881; Vendors – Elizabeth A. Schwab at 618-639-4192, Tractor Pull & Garden Tractor Pull– Arlin Parsell at 618-498-2895 or George Koenig at 618-498-5158, Cars & Trucks – George & Pat Stumpe – 618-462-3873 or Jim White – 618-498-3615.
The club, a 501-(3) © Corporation is dedicated to agricultural heritage. Membership in the club is open to anyone desiring to help achieve the club’s Mission Statement of showing future generations “how Grandma & Grandpa used to live”. Club members also give assistance to individuals desiring to preserve their own equipment. We want to maintain this area’s rural heritage and have established an “Agricultural Heritage Museum” for the purpose of sheltering and displaying the equipment that has been donated to the club.
The club recently completed another session of Agricultural Enrichment Programs for school children, in which almost 400 children participated in the club’s Mission Statement to show future generations “how Grandma & Grandpa used to live”. To date almost 4000 children have participated in these sessions. This program, a “hands on-hands-in activity” is geared to children Pre-K through Grade 6 and is presented in a context that children can understand and appreciate. A fall session will begin after Labor Day and continue through October.
The OLDEN DAYS Festival enlarges upon this context of the Enrichment Programs, wherein there are threshing & baling demonstrations, sawmilling, and many other demonstrations of old machinery and equipment and “Heritage” demonstrations. Also there are Antique Tractor & Engine Displays, Cars, Tractor Pulls, a Craft & Flea Market and as always, lots of good “old-fashioned” food and live entertainment. There is something for everyone – remember, the Tri-County Antique Club is a “family oriented” organization!
