If you’ve taken part in, or seen the success of, some of the fair food drive-thru events this summer, you should be able to picture the planned changes for one of the most popular annual events in the region at the Michigan Flywheelers Museum east of South Haven.
Like many other events and activities, the current pandemic has forced a change of plans for their popular Antique Engine & Tractor Show next month.
There’s no questions that the summer has been full of disappointing cancellations due to the pandemic, but the non-profit flywheelers are offering an event that is safe as well as free.
On Saturday, September 12th from 10 am to 4 pm the Michigan Flywheelers Museum will host the “Can’t stop us COVID 19” Drive-Thru Antique Engine & Tractor Show.
Based on its annual antique engine and tractor show – this version will be similar to the popular fair food drive-thru events where visitors stay in their vehicles and drive on a pre-determined route around museum property. Displays of farm machinery will be set up along the route which will wind through Old Towne, by the shingle and saw mills, past the tractor pulling track and then exit along the southern road. There will be several pull off areas where visitors can sit in their vehicles and watch things like tractor pulls.
There will be working displays like plowing, blacksmithing and more.
Pat Ingalls, President of the Michigan Flywheelers Museum, says of the one-day show, “This is definitely going to be different for us, but we wanted to do something. A lot of people have been telling us they understand we can’t hold our regular show, but are disappointed so we thought this would be better than nothing.”
Usually, thousands of collectors gather at the museum every September for its fall show, but the state’s executive order that prohibits large gatherings due to the virus resulted in the museum canceling its traditional four-day event.
The museum’s board of directors consulted with the local health department and emergency planning office to make sure the event follows state guidelines. After getting the okay, the museum started planning.
Ingalls says, “One of the things that was important to us was to not charge admission to this show,” adding, “With all the things that have been cancelled this summer, we just felt it would be a nice thing to do for a community that has been very supportive of us.”
The Michigan Flywheelers Museum is located on 68th street, east of South Haven. For updated information, check in at: http://www.michiganflywheelers.org or on their Facebook fan page.
