NORTHAMPTON — The Jaescke family wanted to help mark the Three County Fair’s 200th year, so they hatched a plan: a 200-tractor parade down Main Street.
Richard and Sandy Jaescke have organized tractor parades before, but something of this size is unprecedented. Something extraordinary was warranted, they said, given the fair’s amazing longevity.
“It’s homespun,” Richard Jaescke said. “It’s a bunch of people who wanted to contribute to the fair in this way.”
“It’s going to be exciting!” Sandy Jaescke said. “I just hope people come watch it.”
Saturday morning’s tractor parade will be one of many highlights at the annual Labor Day weekend fair, which opens Friday afternoon at the Three County Fairgrounds off Fair Street.
Sandy Jaescke notes that agriculture is key to Northampton’s roots. She said the three counties’ — Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire — long-standing agricultural connection came because the Connecticut River Valley enjoys 3,000 acres of the most tillable land in the country.
“Northampton is a very cultural city, but it’s not just the culture — it’s agriculture at its roots,” she said. “This is going to give a chance to open up this conversation.”
The 200th year of the fair means the area has shown appreciation for its farmers and food sources for centuries, and that’s how it should be. She said agriculture is pertinent to survival.
“This is where your lunch begins,” she said.
Tractors of all shapes, sizes and models will descend on downtown, including horse-drawn ones and the Ford 3930 driven by Mayor David Narkewicz. While Narkewicz is no stranger to a tractor, he admits it has been some time since he worked the fields of Franklin County as a kid.
“I think it’s going to be pretty special to see all those tractors going through downtown, sort of as a symbol of our agricultural heritage,” he said. “It’s a special year. The fair’s always a special event for the city, but obviously it’s an incredible milestone.”
The parade happens on Saturday at 11 a.m. It will start on King Street, cut through Finn Street to State Street, head down Main Street and, ultimately, to the fairgrounds. A 12:30 p.m. ceremony and celebration will follow at the grandstand.
Anyone who has a tractor and is interested in joining in the parade should contact the fairgrounds office at 413-584-2237.
Gates open for the fair on Friday at 4 p.m., and it will boast all the usual food, rides and shows. Back by popular demand is the school bus demolition derby, which takes place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and Monday at 1 p.m., both at the grandstand.
“Everybody loved it, and this year we’re having two,” said Bruce Shallcross, general manager of the fairgrounds.
Shallcross said this year’s fair will also have a plowing contest that harkens back to 1818. Some 15 horse and ox-drawn teams will compete to see who can do the best work.
“We were gonna have a beard contest, but none of us felt like growing beards,” he said.
Shallcross, who’ll soon retire, said this will likely be the last fair he plays a lead role in organizing.
“If the weather’s good we’re going to have a really good fair,” he said. “There’ll be tons of stuff going on.”
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.