56th Prairie Land Heritage Museum festival and historical farm show has old favorites, new features
By Ben Cox
Photos submitted
The smells of ham and beans, diesel fuel and festival food will fill the air for the 56th annual Prairie Land Heritage Museum’s Steam Show & Fall Festival Days taking place September 26-28. Antique tractors and farm memorabilia, along with a flea market and old time crafts will fill the grounds.
The show’s assistant chair, Lori Hanson, says one item that will be returning this year is tractor games, which have been absent for a long time.
“We are adding more things to our kiddie area that my daughter Amanda and I started in 2015,” Hanson says, “We started it because my grandkids were out here and said, ‘Grandma, we’re bored.’ There was nothing to do. So, I went and got four Step2 climbers and that’s what started it. If you go down there now, there’s everything from a petting zoo to face painting, to paint your own pumpkins. We have pony rides. We have an obstacle course going down there this year. There’s a basketball game and other little games that they can play down there. It is just a lot of fun and lots of toys for the little ones and a sandbox that they can play in and really have a good time.”
Children will be able to get lost wandering in and out of one of Morgan County’s biggest corn mazes as well.
Hanson says the kids will also have some ability to participate in the many demonstrations that will take place throughout the weekend. Pigeon demonstrations will be a new event this year; Hanson says that handlers will show how pigeons participate in races and act under certain commands. “We have a corn mill grinder demonstration,” Hanson adds, “They will show kids and adults how to make corn meal.” Plus, one to two speakers will provide information on the railroads that operated in the region. There will also be a station to show people how to make molasses, soap, and wood bowls and utensils. Additionally, there will also be demonstrations of how the telegraph worked and pottery making. The South Jacksonville Police Department will feature its second LEGO building contest with the brand new South Jacksonville Police squad car kit, too.
This year’s featured tractor company will be Massey-Harris/Massey-Ferguson. The antique tractor pull event is usually one of the weekend’s biggest draws.
The weekend is also complete with live music entertainment. “The Jacksonville Drumline Institute will be playing here for the first time,” Hanson says, “Crossover Country Band was here last year and they’ll be back as well as the Heartland Heritage Community Band, who had played on the bandstand years ago and had not been back. Their schedule this year worked great with ours, so we’re happy to have them back.” Other bands featured during the weekend include Bustin’ Loose and The Elderly Brothers.
Friday night will feature the third annual Little Miss & Little Mister pageant. Hanson says she’s excited to see how the Steam Show and festival have grown over the years to include so many things for everyone.
She continues, “[The Steam Show & Fall Festival Days] is our biggest event of the year. It not only helps us, it helps South Jacksonville as well. It’s a lot of fun. We are always looking for volunteers and memberships are only $10 per person or $15 per family. Those [memberships] are available in the office or if you see any member out here, they can help you go in and sign up. Wristbands for admission for the entire weekend are $10 and they are also available in the office as well as quilt raffle tickets.”
Kids 12 and under are allowed to enter the grounds for free during the weekend. “We do have the education day on Friday where teachers and students get in for free. We really look forward to the schools coming over. That’s one of our big fun days, as we call it. On Friday, if the kids come in with the teachers, they get a free vanilla ice cream cone.”
Rental golf carts are also available. A valid driver’s license and proof of insurance for a cart is required. To reserve a cart, call 309-820-1936. Camping spots on the grounds are also available for the weekend. On Sunday, church services will be held in the chapel on the grounds at 10 a.m. Last but not least, Hanson says a few new food vendors as well as returning favorite food trucks will be on hand for the weekend. The local favorite of steam engine-cooked ham and beans will be served 11 a.m.-1 p.m each of the three event days.
A reminder for those coming to the grounds, the new entry is off of Greenwood Avenue instead of Michigan Avenue. A brand new sign was erected at the entrance on August 1 in order to make it visible and to make traffic flow better into the grounds. For more information on the Prairie Land Heritage Museum’s Steam Show & Fall Festival Days, visit the Prairie Land Heritage Museum Institute on Facebook or call 217-243-7262.
