DRAYTON – After three years of cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Drayton Farm show will return to the PMD arena on April 12 (11am to 10pm) and 13 (11am to 9pm).
In 1981 members of the Drayton Kinsmen Club came up with the idea of showcasing and promoting local farm businesses.
This year’s agribusiness showcase, the 39th event, is headed up by Kinsmen member and farm show chairman Ray Kuper.
“I think everyone’s pretty excited that it’s coming back. I think we’ll probably have a record-breaking attendance year,” Kuper told the Advertiser.
Organizers of this year’s event are anticipating around 2,000 attendees during the two-day event, which raises money for cystic fibrosis research and local community improvement projects.
Tickets will be sold at the door and admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children; those aged 8 and under are free.
Fifty per cent of admission fees are donated to cystic fibrosis research, a cause the Kinsmen support at a national level.
“It’s a major fundraiser for the Drayton Kinsmen and it generates a lot of money that is usually put back into parks and recreation of some sort in the community,” Kuper said.
A long-standing tradition for the show is the sale of a unique toy tractor every year.
This year’s collectible tractor is the Case International 4894. The real eight wheel, 300 horsepower Case International 4894 was built from 1984 to 1987.
Only 872 were manufactured at the original price of $95,000.
“We have a customized tractor that we pick up and put our Drayton Kinsmen Farm Show stickers on,” Kuper said.
“We might add a light or paint it; it just depends on what we think will spruce it up.”
He added, “We usually have a John Deere but the odd time we step outside the box and go with Case International, or something by Ford.”
The event features the latest in agricultural technology and provides an opportunity for farmers and suppliers to talk shop.
It’s also a chance for community members to celebrate their rural roots.
“We’ll see what some of the tractor dealers have on site this year,” Kuper said.
“We could see a lot of new upgraded equipment, especially after three years of not having a show. There’s probably a dozen pieces of equipment that are going to be sitting in the parking lot.”
