Holmes County Steam & Engine Show marks 30 years in 2022

Steam engines, antique tractors, threshing machines and more will soon be rolling into Mt. Hope for the 30th annual Holmes County Steam & Engine Show.

“This may be our biggest show yet,” said Melvin Wengerd., Holmes County Steam Engine Association president. “The $10,000 purse featured for our Thursday evening horse pull is the largest in the state and always attracts some of the greatest pulling teams around. A big thank you to Kaufman Realty/JR Miller for their sponsorship.”

The 30th annual, three-day event will be held on the Mt. Hope Auction Grounds/Holmes County Event Center, in Mt. Hope. Dates are Thursday, Aug. 4, Friday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 6.

Highlights include Thursday’s horse pull, Friday’s tractor pull and Saturday’s garden tractor and mini rod pull. Visitors won’t want to miss threshing and sawmill demonstrations, tractor games and Saturday’s finale drawing for the pedal tractor. And the kids aren’t left out either, as the event offers daily activities including a pedal tractor pull, a money scramble and arts and crafts workshops.

Each year features a brand and make of tractor, with 2022 the year of John Deere. Next year highlights Minneapolis Moline.  

According to Wengerd, one of the newest events, the tractor tour of Holmes County, has quickly become a favorite. 

“Our first tour had about 30 tractors. We expect that to double this year,” he said. 

To complete the 90-minute tour on schedule, tractors must be able to travel at 10 miles per hour. “This year’s tour will head south and east of Mt. Hope, some truly beautiful back roads to discover,” Wengerd said.

Board Member and Treasurer Roy Miller reminds visitors to “join us for live entertainment both Thursday and Friday evenings at 5 p.m..

“HCSEA regularly invites local bands to excite the crowd going into the evening events,” Miller said. “Friday’s Steam Engine Spark Show at dusk is a must see. It’s better than fireworks and never disappoints!”

The Holmes County Steam Engine Association held it’s first annual summer show in 1993 at an Amish Farm near Berlin. From an early membership of eighty members, the association has now grown to over 400 members and boasts over 12,000 paid admissions at our most recent show.

The event closes at 5 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit hcsea.com or follow HCSEA on Facebook.