A volunteer pitches sheaves of oats on a vintage thrashing machine during the Threshing Festival outside Prince Albert. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

A BLAST FROM THE PAST

Spectators wowed once again at annual Threshing Festival

Jul 16, 2023 | 6:00 PM

For more than 40 years, the Vintage Power Museum’s Threshing Festival has attracted thousands to its grounds and that tradition continued this weekend.

The 41^st Annual Festival took place Saturday and Sunday featuring the usual spectacles at the museum such as classic tractors, the schoolhouse, and the general store, as well as the tractor pull competition, music, and thrashing demonstrations.

(Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

Alan Andal is the President of the Vintage Power Museum and has held that role for the past six years. He said he always enjoys the festival, having come from a farming background.

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“I like to participate and try and keep it up for the young people today to see,” he said.

Aside from the usual attractions at the festival, Andal said that come next year, there could be some new things popping up.

“We’re hoping to get, by next year, our shingle mill back up where you can make old wooden shingles,” he said. “We did get one from the Nipawin Museum that is in better shape than ours and we’re going to try and get it up and running for next year.”

Aside from the shingle mill, the Museum is still working on a project that will see a new canteen built on the grounds. When completed, it will seat about 65 people with new washrooms and a kitchen area.

But as Andal explains, it’s been a tough last few years getting that project off the ground.

“We should have started four years ago when we attempted, (but) we fell through at the time and now it’s going to cost us at least another $40,000 more just to do it.”

He hopes that the roof and exterior will be finished by the fall with all the interior work to be done throughout the winter.

“We’re hoping it should be up and running by next spring and ready for the summer event.”

Through all that work and running the festival, Andal said it would not be possible without the volunteers that continue to show their support to the museum. He said having them work hard drives down many costs they endure.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow