Pioneer Acres Museum, located just north of Irricana, is hosting its 41st annual Show and Reunion, Aug. 6-8.
The show will include agriculture and lifestyle displays from 1900 to 1950, including a harvesting display using horse, steam and gas powered equipment.
“Every year, there is a featured manufacturer, this year that is International,” said Don Seib, president of the Pioneer Acres Club. “International made tractors and trucks and all sorts of farm equipment. I would expect 50 or more (vehicles).”
There will be three parades on the main stage each afternoon to show off pioneer era equipment. The first will feature antique cars and trucks, the second will showcase International farm machinery and the final parade will display horse, steam and gas powered agricultural equipment.
Additional displays will include working blacksmiths and wheelwrights, stationary engines, vintage farm equipment of all makes and models, a 1905 school building and the historic Long House, a home built in 1914.
Visitors can expect to see displays featuring home preserving, bread baking and ice cream making in addition to the hundreds of samples of farm equipment.
“What we really aim for is to try to ensure that the knowledge gets passed on so people don’t forget the way it used to be,” said Seib. “Most people hear their grandparents talk about what it was like to live on a farm, but they have really no idea what it was like 100 years ago.”
The 2009 annual show brought in around 3,000 people and Seib is hoping to meet or beat that number this year.
According to Seib, the high quality of the museum is thanks to the many volunteers and donors.
“Thousands of hours of volunteer time goes into Pioneer Acres,” said Seib. “We would be nothing without volunteers and donors.”
Admission is $10 per day for adults, $5 for teenagers 13-18 and free for children under 13. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days and a pancake breakfast will be available on Aug. 6 from 7 to 10 a.m., and Aug. 7-8 from 7 to 9 a.m. There is dry camping available for $20, with shuttles running the entire weekend from the campground to the main grounds. For more information, visit Pioneer Acre’s website at www.pioneeracres.ab.ca
