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DOW - The 33rd Annual Olden Days Festival is returning to Dow on Aug. 24-25, 2024, with a variety of activities, food, and more “under the windmill” on the Tri-County Antique Club grounds at 23946 IL-3 in Dow.
Tom Bechtold, treasurer for the Tri-County Antique Club, shared more about this year’s festival on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com.
“It’s a unique thing that’s one of a kind in this area,” Bechtold said. “It’s a fun time for a family-oriented affair, it really is. Everybody can enjoy themselves, the kids enjoy themselves.”
Admission to the festival is $5, except for exhibitors and children ages 12 and under, who can get in for free. The grounds will open at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, Aug. 24, 2024, when Bechtold said the public is invited to a breakfast with pancakes, biscuits and gravy, egg casserole, coffee, juice, and milk. Breakfast will also be served from 7 to 10 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Following Saturday’s breakfast, starting at 10 a.m. is an Apple Pie cooking contest, a recent addition to the festival where participants can bring in their homemade apple pies to be judged for a chance to win some giveaway prizes. Saturday will also see the Garden Tractor Pull at 11 a.m., which Bechtold said is done in collaboration with the Jersey County Garden Tractor Pullers Association.
“They suit up these garden tractors, and it’s amazing what they can do,” Bechtold said. “They’ve got some screaming machines out there.”
Saturday’s festivities continue with the “Pedal Tractor Pull” for kids that afternoon at 1 p.m., which Bechtold said is divided by weight and age class with a special track set up for the children’s tractor-pulling challenge. Last but certainly not least on Saturday is the “Parade of Power” at 2 p.m., which Bechtold said is a rolling showcase of tractor owners’ passion projects.
“That’s where everybody gets to drive their favorite tractor that they brought to the show,” Bechtold said, adding each tractor will have an “information card” with details about its age and specifications. “As they drive through, they read it over the loudspeaker so everybody can appreciate … the hard work they’ve done to restore that tractor.”
While many activities from Saturday will return on Sunday, the festival’s second day will feature some exclusive events, such as the Car Show at 11 a.m. and the Plowing Demonstration at 1 p.m. Sunday’s tractor pulls will also be held at different times, starting with the Pedal Tractor Pull at 12 p.m. followed by the Garden Tractor Pull at 1 p.m.
The Blacksmith Shop will be open all day on both days, with blacksmiths crafting items and explaining their process to any and all interested visitors. Before the Olden Days festivities wrap up at 4 p.m. on Sunday, a raffle drawing will be held at 3 p.m. with prizes including a handmade quilt, a pedal tractor, Sinclair Foods gift certificates, and more. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5 and can be purchased on-site during both days of the festival until the drawing on Sunday afternoon.
Both days of this year’s Olden Days Festival are jam-packed with family fun events - see the full schedule on the Tri-County Antique Club website. To learn more about this year’s Olden Days Festival, watch the full interview with Bechtold at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
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