Heritage, history and fun at weekend festivals

Lincoln County Fair, Belgian American Days, Hanley Falls threshing show all coming up

Heritage, history and a whole lot of fun will be part of summer festivals in the area this weekend.

The Lincoln County Fair opens today in Tyler, and will run through Sunday with events for all ages. In Hanley Falls, John Deere tractors and equipment will be in the spotlight at this weekend's Good Old Days and Threshing Show. And in Ghent, community members will be celebrating Belgian heritage at Belgian American Days.

Ghent's community festival typically draws lots of visitors for events like the annual rolle bolle tournament. But this weekend, the city will also welcome a documentary filmmaker to Belgian American Days, said Ghent City Administrator Dawn Vlaminck. The documentary will talk about the story of Belgian immigration to the U.S., by visiting cities around the country that are named Ghent.

"I think he's visiting five different cities," including Ghent, Minnesota, Vlaminck said.

Vlaminck said Belgian American Days organizers have planned fun events for people of all ages. On Friday evening, community members can see the Little Miss Ghent coronation, and meet Belgian American Days grand marshals Tom and Vicki Bot.

This year, the .05K fun run is also back.

"It's kind of a popular event, so we thought it would be good for Friday night," Vlaminck said.

Participants in the short race are encouraged to dress up in their best patriotic outfits to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.

Other Belgian American Days events going on Saturday include a softball tournament, a youth 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a car show, and the grand parade. The Pop Rocks street dance will bring Saturday night to a close.

Lincoln County Fair starts today

Food, live music and entertainment will all be part of the festivities at the Lincoln County Fair in Tyler this week. The fair opens today, and runs through Sunday.

Thursday's events include open class entries and the presentation of the Outstanding Senior Citizen Award. The fair continues through the weekend with events like the Lincoln County Corn and Soybean Growers' annual Agriculture Awareness Breakfast on Saturday morning, and a ranch rodeo, kids' pedal tractor pull and the Southwest Minnesota Cattlemen's Association free hamburger feed in the afternoon. On Sunday, the annual demolition derby will be held at 3 p.m. at the grandstand.

A full schedule of fair events is available online at https://www.lincolncountyfairmn.com.

Hanley Falls Threshing Show

The 51st annual Good Old Days and Threshing Show will be going on Saturday and Sunday in Hanley Falls, at the grounds outside Minnesota's Machinery Museum. Show organizers are anticipating good attendance, partly because this year's event is spotlighting a popular brand of farm machinery.

"That usually happens when we feature John Deere," said Mark Antony, of the Pioneer Power threshing club. "John Deere has such a huge following."

Antony said the threshing show gives people a chance to look back at farming in past years. At the same time, the kids' activities and displays of different tractors and farm equipment are also something that draw in younger generations.

The show will also include a craft show and flea market, food vendors, and special events like an antique tractor pull on Saturday afternoon. The tractor pull will be open to tractors from before 1960.

"With the older tractors, people kind of like to see those, and see how much they can pull," Antony said.

Visitors also enjoy the tractor parades held Saturday and Sunday. "People come to see (the tractors), and hear them running," Antony said.