After a dormant year during the COVID-19 pandemic, Plain City will be bustling during the Miami Valley Steam Threshers Association annual show.
Mayor Jody Carney said the show is an integral part of the village.
“We want to be known as the home of the Steam Threshers,” she said.
The annual show will take place Thursday through Sunday at Pastime Park on North Chillicothe Street. Opening ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday.
The 2021 Steam Threshers show will feature Massey Ferguson-Massey Harrison implements.
Carney said the show, which showcases antique tractors and farm implements along with family attractions, “helps bring a sense of nostalgia to our town.”
“It reminds us how far we have come in agriculture,” she said. “We get to see how our fathers and grandfathers used to farm.”
As the village continues to grow, she said it is important to recognize Plain City’s agricultural roots. Carney said Steam Threshers allows newer residents to interact with farm equipment in a way they may not have previously experienced.
“I think it’s very important to have that educational piece,” said Carney, who taught agriculture courses at Fairbanks Local Schools prior to her election to council.
She said a better understanding of the equipment used in farming can encourage a desire to “coexist” between farmers and residents from any background.
Beyond implement enthusiasts, Carney said there will be “something for all ages” at the Steam Threshers show. She said she believes the Touch-a-Truck event, from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, will be particularly popular, as the organization has expanded it this year.
“It’s exciting to see it grow,” she said.
A lumber mill, wheat threshing and a shingle and veneer mill will operate throughout each day and a noon whistle will occur every day, as well.
Following Touch-a-Truck Thursday, family games and a “kiddie tractor pull” will be hosted in the evening.
Friday will kick off with a 10 a.m. flag raising and member memoriam, followed by a 10:30 a.m. tractor ride. After the noon whistle, there will be a 1 p.m. steam engine parade and the grand parade downtown at 6 p.m.
Weekend events include lawn mower and steam engine test pulls at 10 a.m. Saturday, musical performances at 10:15 a.m. that day, a steam engine parade at 1 p.m. and a Central Ohio Tractor Pull Association tractor pull at 6 p.m. The evening will be capped with a spark show after dark Saturday.
Sunday will begin with an 8 a.m. church service and an Ohio State Antique Tractor Pullers Association tractor pull at 10 a.m. Closing ceremonies will be held at 3 p.m.
Especially after a year of separation, Carney said she is eager for the “community and togetherness” the show will bring.
“I’m excited to be out and have… such an historic event,” she said.
Carney noted that Plain City has hosted the show for nearly 40 years.
The Miami Valley Steam Threshers Association recently signed a five-year contract with Plain City that will ensure the village continues to host the event through 2025. The association leases Pastime Park for eight days each year at a rate of $3,000 annually.
Over the decades, Carney said many residents have created memories at the Steam Threshers show that they now hold dear.
In fact, Carney said she and her husband visited the show from their home in Athens in 2004, before they knew they would later move to Central Ohio.
“It kind of brought Plain City to us,” she said.
Likewise, Carney said she knows there will be plenty of other visitors from throughout the state who are drawn to Plain City for the weekend.
She said the show is also an opportunity to show off improvements to the Uptown district and direct visitors to support local businesses.
“It helps make Plain City a destination,” she said. “It keeps us on the map.”