The Eastern Shore Threshermen & Collectors Assoc., Inc. will be holding their 60th Annual Wheat Threshing, Steam & Gas Engine Show on August 7, 8, 9 at their showgrounds located on Rt. 313 between Denton and Federalsburg. The show features free admission and free parking and opens at 10 AM each day. The show this year is celebrating 60 years of wholesome, family fun.

In 1961, Jim Layton took his newly restored Frick traction engine out in the field by the road and threshed a little wheat. A few neighbors, as well as some passers-by, stopped to help and watch. The next year, neighbors urged him to do it again. They wanted to help relive their past again and others, who had missed the previous threshing, wanted to see it too. It didn’t take much to convince him to do it again.

From that one afternoon with one steam engine and one thresher, the show began to grow with other people bringing tractors, gas engines and other farm equipment. Through the years, people have attended the show from all over the U.S. and many foreign countries.
This year there will be steam engines, antique tractors, gas engines, antique cars and steam models in operation. Among the demonstrations will be wheat threshing, shingle sawing, sawing with miniature and full size sawmills, and rock crushing. A daily parade of all equipment will be held at 5 PM on Friday and Saturday and at 4 PM on Sunday. Kids of all ages enjoy riding “Smokey Joe”, a miniature steam train which is a replica of the Civil War era “General” locomotive.

Friday evening will feature the classic country music sounds of Country Express and Flatland Drive will perform bluegrass music on Saturday evening. Both shows are sponsored by Towers Concrete. Sunday will feature music at 5 PM. All shows are free. There will also be church services Sunday morning at 9 AM.

Exhibitors of all kinds of antique equipment are welcome. There is no charge to exhibit. All times are subject to weather conditions. The public is invited to come out and see how our grandparents farmed and old-timers can reminisce of the good old days. For more information, call 410-754-8422, 410-673-2414, or visit us on Facebook. GPS address: 5806 Federalsburg Hwy., Federalsburg, MD. There will be plenty of good food with fried chicken dinners, hamburgers and hot dogs.

We would like to remind people to please follow the CDC COVID-19 guidelines, social distance and not bunch up in groups. Please wash your hands and use hand sanitizers often. Also, please consider visiting at “off-peak” times, perhaps on Friday and Sunday when the crowd is usually smaller. We feel that the community needs something to help bring a sense of normalcy to their summer, since so many events have been cancelled. We are having the show for you, please help us out by reading and following the posted signage concerning COVID-19. While extra sanitizing procedures will be in place, exposure to COVID-19 is an inherent risk in any public location where people are present. It is up to the attendees to follow this guidance in order to maintain the safest possible conditions for all. While we would love to see you at the show, if you are feeling sick, have a fever or a compromised immune system, please stay home and take care of yourself. You can always come next year.

The two were taken at our first show in 1961. This photo was 1961 at the first show. There was only the steam engine and thresher out along the road in the wheat field.