File photo Pictured is one of the activities at the Good Old Days Threshing Show in 2024. This year’s show will be held this weekend at the Minnesota Machinery Museum in Hanely Falls.

There will be plenty of events to attend and partake in around the area this weekend, including Ghent’s Belgian American Days, the Upper Sioux Community Traditional Wacipi in Granite Falls and Hanley Falls’ 50th Good Old Days and Threshing Show.

Most events will take place throughout the day on Saturday, but with additional activities Friday and Sunday across the three festivals.

Good Old Days and Threshing Show

This year in particular will be special for The Good Old Days and Threshing Show in Hanley Falls with a celebration of 50 years of the Pioneer Power Threshing Club with a tractor drive, kids pedal tractor pull, parade and antique tractor pull.

“It will be a fun time,” festival organizer Laurie Johnson said. “We are celebrating our 50th year, so that’s a pretty big deal.”

As it is throughout the summer, the Minnesota Machinery Museum will be open throughout the weekend as well, with new artifacts to see for the anniversary.

“We’re featuring everything from the last 50 years in our building,” Johnson said. “In the museum, we have an exhibit on the sanatorium that used to be in Granite Falls … It’ll (the museum) be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will have little extended hours.”

On both Saturday and Sunday, there will be a tractor parade at 1:30 p.m.

“The guys will drive their tractors around, and they have an announcer,” Johnson said. “He will announce what kind of tractor it is, and if there’s any history of it.”

Johnson also noted there will be a plethora of variety this year as well with around 24 vendors.

A Tractor Drive on Friday at 5 p.m. Friday will kick off the Hanley Falls’ festivities, with a pedal tractor pull to take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. for kids 5 to 12 years old.

Along with the two parades, there will also be an antique tractor pull on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Community members can also attend a range of demonstrations, and check out the expo building with craft shows and a flea market on Saturday and Sunday.

The festival is located on the grounds of the Minnesota Machinery Museum in Hanley Falls.

Belgian-American Days

The town of Ghent will fill up with locals looking to participate in the popular rolle bolle tournament, softball, or to check out the car show, numerous vendors, parade, kid activities and street dance.

With trivia starting the festivities tonight at 7 p.m., Belgian American Days will carry through with a plethora of activities until Sunday afternoon.

The rolle bolle tournament will offer a variety of games Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with registration held prior to each event. Thursday and Friday’s games will begin at 8 p.m., with Saturday’s starting at 10:30 a.m. and carrying through the day.

Also being a welcoming festival for children of all ages, there will be a kids pedal tractor pull at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, along with a kiddie carnival, petting zoo and bounce-house inflatables throughout Legion Park on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m.

The Belgian-American Days is also known for its sizable car show, which will fill the streets at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Live music this year consists of DJ Keith Petermeier on Friday at the main stage beginning at 5:30 p.m., Rock it Man and Dueling Pianos at KB’s Ballroom on Friday at 8:30 p.m., and the Saturday street dance will begin at 9 p.m. featuring IV Play.

The grand parade will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday for community members to enjoy, while there will be numerous food and vendors available all weekend.

Upper Sioux Community Wacipi

In a celebration of Native American culture and traditions, the Upper Sioux Community Traditional Wacipi returns to Granite Falls this weekend.

“This weekend, we have our annual traditional Wacipi, which the common name is ‘powwow,'” said Drew Brockman, event organizer and tribal secretary with the Upper Sioux Community. “There’ll be multiple food vendors and goods vendors.”

The Wacipi grand entries will take place on Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.

According to the Upper Sioux Community, “Wacipi” means “they dance,” in the Dakota language. The annual event is to bring people together to honor the heritage through dance, song, collaboration and other activities.

In addition, there will be a flag raising by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Kit Fox Color Guard at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

“It’s always just a (fun) time for family and friends to gather to celebrate making it through another winter,” Brockman said. “Also, to honor our veterans, past and present, and a (few) other things like that.”

There’s also an opportunity for people to take a trip out to the green to enjoy some golf.

“There’s also a golf tournament happening at the Granite Run Golf Course on Friday,” Brockman said. “The Upper Sioux veterans are hosting the golf tournament … 9:30 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. shotgun start, and it’s a three-person scramble.”

The Wacipi celebrations and events will be located about five miles south on Highway 167 at 565th Street in Granite Falls.

People attending should note there is no alcohol, pets or bicycles allowed.