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'm interested in being a vendor.
Dates, featured equipment and entertainment for this year's show
Shots from past shows:
Hauling in wheat bundles
Engines Parading In
Farmer John
The Steam Calliope
The Potter and the Weaver
The Blacksmith
The Broom Maker
Part of the Road Crew
The Kiddy Pedal Pull
Spark Show
