About This Festival

The Antique Steam & Gas Engine Tractor Show in Boonville, Indiana, is a nostalgic agricultural event showcasing historic farming practices and machinery. It takes place at Thresherman's Park at 2144 New Harmony Rd from July 26 to July 28, 2025, featuring activities such as sawmill operations, log cutting, wheat threshing, sorghum making, horse and tractor plowing, and corn picking and shelling. The event also includes a flea market and food booths, creating a vibrant and family-friendly atmosphere.

Event Atmosphere and Surroundings:
Thresherman's Park, located about three miles north of Boonville, is a unique outdoor venue known for hosting antique farming machinery events since 1978. The park offers a rustic, rural setting that complements the vintage theme of the show, attracting visitors who appreciate agricultural heritage and hands-on demonstrations of historic techniques.

Activities and Schedule (Approximate Outline):

  • Sawmill and Log Cutting Demonstrations: Visitors observe traditional sawmill operations and the cutting of logs, demonstrating old-time lumber processing.
  • Wheat Threshing: Shows how wheat was traditionally separated from chaff using vintage threshing machines.
  • Sorghum Making: Demonstrations on how sorghum syrup is produced from sorghum cane.
  • Horse and Tractor Plowing: Live displays of both horse-drawn and old gas-powered tractors plowing fields, highlighting the transition in farm technology.
  • Corn Picking and Shelling: Exhibits demonstrating historic corn harvesting and processing methods.
  • Flea Market: Vendors offer antiques, farm-related items, crafts, and collectibles.
  • Food Booths: Various local food vendors provide snacks and meals, fostering a festive and community-oriented vibe.

The event typically runs during daylight hours over the three days, starting early morning and continuing into mid-afternoon or early evening.

History and Founding:
The show is closely associated with the Antique Steam and Gas Engine Club, which operates out of Thresherman's Park. This park has been the home for the club’s events since 1978, serving as a hub for enthusiasts to preserve and demonstrate antique steam engines, gas engines, and tractors. The annual event has grown into a longstanding tradition, celebrating agriculture's mechanical heritage and connecting multiple generations to historical rural life.

Visitor Info:

  • Admission is charged.
  • Contact can be made via phone at (812) 897-2360.
  • More information and updates are available on the Thresherman Park Facebook page.

Overall, the show offers a step back in time with a lively, educational, and hands-on experience in a scenic rural Indiana park setting.