Each year on the Monday prior to the Tuesday opening of the Whiteside County Fair, scores of tractor owners congregate at the fairgrounds. Matt Lillpop at Whiteside County Farm Bureau organizes a communal ride, beginning at 8:00 a.m. The travelers visited Resthave Care & Rehabilitation.
A lunch stop is included in the itinerary; today, August 12, it was at the Kenneth Venhuizen farm, 12174 Prairie Center Road, Morrison. He used a portable hit-and-miss engine to churn ice cream for the guests.
Pictured is one of 61 participants on High Street, headed to Crosby Road, taken by Hillary Blevins shortly before 9:00. The procession crossed Rock Creek via the Whiteside County Covered Bridge.
These Farm Bureau photos show the colorful convoy traversing the bridge and Whiteside County.
The journey concluded at the fairgrounds about 3:00 p.m. Some owners will display antique tractors during the week; others headed home after the rainy, tractor trek.
Todd Mickley writes about another tractor parade this week. “Antique tractor buffs will have a heyday at this year’s Annual Whiteside County Fair, which runs August 13-17.”
“Each participant who displays an antique tractor will receive a 149th Whiteside County Fair plaque to display on their antique tractor. Exhibitors will fire up their engines for the Antique Tractor Parade[, in front of the grandstand at 5:30 p.m., on Friday, August 16. That is] about one hour before the start of th[e] evening’s Truck and Tractor Pulls at 6:30.
“For more information about fair events, check out the website at www.whitesidecountyfair.org.”