Dairyfest Tractor Parade gearing up for its 19th year

by Brandon Mayer

A familiar sight at Dairyfest for the past 19 years has been the Tractor Parade, probably best known for its up close and personal visit to the Dundas Manor parking lot each year. John Cinnamon has been running the Parade since it was conceived, and this year is no different. With still more than two weeks to go, he already has his fleet lined up in a shed on his farm a few miles north of Winchester.

The Tractor Parade was created when the Dairyfest Committee called John all those years ago and asked him if he would put on an antique tractor show as part of the festivities. He told them it would be no problem and that it didn’t sound too complicated. That is, until the Committee asked if John would be able to select a first, second, and third place “winner” for the show. “I said ‘well you can count me out’ because there’s no way I’m telling my neighbour that he’s got a nicer tractor than the other neighbour!” John joked.

It was at that point that John suggested a tractor parade instead of a tractor show, an idea which the Dairyfest Committee graciously accepted. The annual Dairyfest Tractor Parade initially started as an event featuring antique tractors, and evolved over the years to accept tractors of all types, sizes, and ages. “A tractor all shined up, 50 years old and looking like new is beautiful, but there’s also nothing wrong with coming out in your work clothes,” John emphasized. “They are tractors, and they’re used on the farm!” John has about 10-12 antique tractors that he expects to have in the parade, and another dozen newer tractors as well if he can find enough drivers. As of last week, he was only missing three drivers. Of all of John’s tractors, he would only consider two of them to be “restored”. The others are in their original condition, some of them “rusty as blazes”, and that is John’s favourite way to see them.

There are significant financial costs of putting on a tractor parade, specifically tractor maintenance. There are often tune ups that need to be done in advance of the Parade, particularly for tractors that are mostly left sitting unused except to appear in the Parade or local fairs. These maintenance costs – and the time required to do the work – are picked up solely by the local farmers without whom the Parade would not go on. One of John’s tractors needed new tires, and three others needed new batteries this year. “Then you’ve got diesel fuel, antifreeze, and a top up of oil,” he added.

Required maintenance is understandable, considering the age of some of the tractors. John’s oldest one is 84 years old, originally owned by his wife’s great grandfather.

The parade route has not changed from previous years, but the pace of the parade might be slowed by the construction on Main Street this year, since the participating tractors al- ways follow the rules of the road. The Parade departs from the Curling Club at 2:30pm, and aims to be passing through the Dundas Manor parking lot at 3pm. After that, the parade route passes the fire hall, the Lion’s Club building, and then up past the Legion if the road is open. “The parade route has been the same for 19 years – follow the tractors,” John joked.

“I don’t know how many more years I’m going to be doing this, but I hope to get at least one, I’d like to see 20 years doing this, for sure. And if the good Lord willing wants me to do it for 25, and my wife lets me, I will!”

Professional Fully Insured Commercial & Residential Painting www.horizonspainting.ca Local Raw Wildflower Honey $13/KG Local Maple Syrup $25/L BULK PRICES ALSO AVAILABLE Call or text 613-223-4446 blackmaplesugarcompany@gmail com

Kutebah Alyousef kutebah1984@gmail.com 613-276-4583