
Every year in early August, the Pioneer
Engineers Club holds what we
like to call our annual reunion. While some would simply refer to this
as our show, we see it as more than that. It is in fact a reunion, a
time to renew old friendships and make some new ones. All of this old
equipment would hold little meaning to any of us if not for the experiences
we've shared with each other while working with it or working on it!
Dates,
featured equipment and entertainment for this year's show
But we
do gather to entertain and be entertained as well. We have a full slate
of activities planned each day. You can come for day or camp out here
for the weekend. Although things can change a little
from year to year, generally speaking, our schedule of events will be close to
what you'll find on the links below.
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
We will hold a four-day reunion for the first time in
2008. There will be activities on Thursday as well. This is also
the first show at our new grounds, Caldwell
Pioneer Acres. Please return to our website for updates on our plans
for this historic event!

Some of
our activities can be enjoyed each day. Come early if you like
explosions. We fire a cannon every day at opening ceremonies! Unless there is a downpour, you can count on getting to see various steam
engines and work crews running the sawmill and threshers or hooked to the
Baker fan or dynamometer much of the day. The straw produced from threshing will be fed
into a baler. As you walk the grounds being serenaded by our steam
calliope, you will see various tractors, gas engines, and machines running. They
may be pulling an implement of some sort, or powering a saw, a rock crusher,
an ice cream maker (yes, you can buy some of the homemade ice cream!),
a pump, a washing machine - you name it! You might even run into our
clown, Farmer John. Brace yourself for the noon whistle - every whistle
on the grounds is pulled. Believe me, you'll know when it's lunch
time. Of course, we have our parade of engines each
afternoon. That is a good time to sit and rest under our shade
trees.
But if you've got extra energy to burn off later, maybe you'll
want to try your hand at cross-cut sawing. Our flea markets are open
throughout the day for you to explore. You never know what invaluable
treasure you might find! And if you are hungry - wow! You can find
elephant ears, ice cream, popcorn, cotton candy, walleye, tenderloins, candy
apples, soda pop, fried chicken, hot dogs - need we go on? Don't
forget to stop at the top of the hill and visit the displays and craftsmen
there. In the past we've had displays of wrenches
and other tools, apple
peelers, as well as blacksmiths, potters, spinners, broom makers, and
more! While you are up on the hill, stop in the entertainment tent and
see who is performing.
And you won't want to miss the games.
Tractor games such as fast and slow races, teeter totter balancing, and barrel
races are offered Saturday and Sunday.
The kids' games are a lot of fun
too. Each afternoon we play tug-of-war with a scale model steam engine
and then we throw a bunch of coins into a stack of straw and let the kids dive
in and see what they can find.
The office is located on top of the hill. This is also where you pay
your membership dues and register your exhibit. While you're there, go
next door to our souvenir stand. We offer a variety of merchandise as a remembrance
of your visit.
In
addition to these daily activities, there is something different to look
forward to each day. On Friday evening we invite our exhibitors to show
their stuff in our antique tractor pull. (See Tractor Pull Rules
here.) On Saturday morning we challenge the youngsters to test
their power in the Kiddy Pedal Tractor
Pull.
On Saturday afternoon there is Catholic Mass. Stick around because in the evening we'll have an old-time
fiddlers' contest and a spark show, which is a way to use a steam engine to
generate "fireworks" - something to see! On Sunday morning we
have non-denominational church services. Then after opening ceremonies, we'll have a memorial service for our members who have passed away
since the last show. And finally after the parade, we'll draw names for
our membership raffle.

One
of our members wrote an excellent poem describing the sights, sounds, smells,
and atmosphere of our reunion. You can read it here!

I'd
like to bring an exhibit.
I'm
interested in being a vendor.
Dates,
featured equipment and entertainment for this year's show
Caldwell
Pioneer Acres
More
about Rushville, IN

Shots from past shows:
Hauling in wheat bundles

Engines Parading In
Farmer John

The
Steam Calliope