SIDNEY – Memorial Day weekend will mark the 27th Annual Buckeye Farm Antiques Show. This year, however, will be the first time it has been held at the Shelby County Fairgrounds. Last year, more than 5,000 people attended the show in Wapakoneta.
Since its inception, the group had staged their annual event at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds. Unable to reach a rental agreement this year, the board of directors moved the event to Sidney, according to board member and publicity chairman Esther Gaier.
Mrs. Gaier and her husband, Dennis “Red” Gaier, were founding members of the organization that now touts 550 members. They remain active with Red demonstrating old fashioned sawmill work and shingle mill creation. Esther handles children’s events, entertainment and advertising.
“We’ve been charter members for 27 years. That first year we were part of the Auglaize County Fair and had a display of threshing machines. After that we decided we could do our own show and have been ever since.
In 2015, visitors from nine states and Canada were on hand throughout the weekend, Gaier said. While exact attendance figures are hard for the group to gather, she feels confident that 5,000 to 7,000 people attended last year based in vendor reports.
Admission is $2 for those 13 and older. Those 12 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Events include threshing and corn shredding, primitive crafts, blacksmithing, sawmill and shingle mill demonstrations, a quilt show, craft and flea market and a parts area.
This year, the Cockshutt tractor line will be featured. Many other tractor makes and models will be on hand through the fairgrounds, Gaier said.
In 1946, Cockshutt began making the first line of modern farm tractors manufactured in Canada. The origins of the company’s agricultural business can be traced to the 1870s. The company’s tractor manufacturing operations were acquired by White Motor Co., (later to be known as White Tractors) in 1961.
Two nights of free entertainment have been planned for the Beige Building. The songfests will be held Friday and Saturday from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
On Friday, the Mac-O-Chee Valley Folks of West Liberty will provide classic gospel music for those on hand. On Saturday, the Kettering Banjo Society will bring their ragtime sound to the stage.
Starting in the early ’70’s, the Kettering Banjo Society has grown to include instruments such as banjos, keyboards, tuba and other brass, bass, harmonica, accordions and mandolins. The band offers good old ragtime, showboat era, Americana and patriotic selections.
Gaier said there will be large display of garden tractors and several tractor pull competitions. Youngsters will have pedal tractor events plus a pick-up and semi truck pull sponsored by the West Ohio Garden Tractor Pullers.
On Sunday, the annual antique car, truck and motorcycle show is set from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information, visit the group’s website at www.buckeyefarmantiques.com.
