WAYNE TOWNSHIP — Acres of vacant fields come alive once a year to become a small town for a weekend.
Ashtabula County Antique Engine Club Show draws thousands of like-minded folks to the rural Route 322 setting for a weekend of learning, shopping and celebrating a time gone by.
“This is a family affair for us,” said Bob Fyfe of Portage, Ohio, while balancing his son John, 3, and daughter Kathryn, 8, on a Case 1944 Vac tractor.
Fyfe said the yearly event is important to his family.
Janet Lipps, secretary of the ACAEC, said the show was going well despite iffy weather on Friday. “We had a good crowd (Friday) and an even better crowd today (Saturday),” she said.
Lipps said Chapter 16 of the International Harvester Antique Engine Club, from western Pennsylvania, had a large contingent present for the big event. She said an estimated 4,000 people would participate Saturday as visitors, exhibitors or those showing the tractors.
She said Lee Robishaw, a long-time member of the club, was honored for his work mowing the lawn at the property during the 28th edition of the event Saturday.
Visitors came to Wayne Township from as far away as Florida and Canada, Lipps said.
“One of the people in our parade was from Hagerstown, Ontario,” she said.
Young tractor enthusiasts were able to get themselves involved during a mini tractor pull for children. “We had to have a triple pull off,” Lipps said of the close competition in one of the divisions.
She said the 400 members of the club, and the added 200 spouses and other family members, make the event possible. “We couldn’t have this event without them,” she said.
The Johnston family made the now annual trek from southern Ohio to the show because,” of the love of tractors,” said Jennifer Johnston. Matthew Johnson, 9, said he enjoyed seeing all the tractors.
The Wayne Township Fire Department, and other local organizations, are happy for the event that helps raise funds for charities.
“This is a major fundraiser,” said Jeff Thompson of the Wayne Township Fire Department. He said the event helps the department pay for things that are needed, but can’t be funded from tax millage.
The family nature of the event was illustrated in reverse Saturday as a son is building a love of antique engines and is passing it along to his father.
Garret Pelton, 14, of Conneaut, said he spent a lot of time at the Pierpont Picnic hanging out at an engine exhibit and fell in love with them.
“I started him on it. I’ve been into engines from cars to small (engines) and I’m getting my dad into it,” he said.
“It’s interesting. I like it,” said his father Bruce Pelton.
“We’re building a tractor to pull in the Ashtabula County Fair,” Bruce Pelton said.
Whether the love of engines comes from father to son or son to father, the tradition continues to grow every Fourth of July weekend in Wayne Township.
The Ashtabula County Antique Engine Club Show continues today in Wayne Township.
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It’s a celebration of a time gone by
Antique Engine Club Show draws thousands to the area
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