Farm Fresh: Tractor parade highlights 20th annual Waterman Lions Summerfest

WATERMAN – Tractors of all makes, models, shapes and sizes paraded through the streets of Waterman Saturday as part of the modified 20th annual Waterman Lions Summerfest due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s event featured a tractor parade, drive-thru lunch and draw-down raffle during the daytime. Evening events included a fireworks display and an outdoor drive-in showing of the movie “A Night at the Museum.”

“Our Summerfest always has an antique tractor show, and this year, we’re bringing the tractors around town,” said Shawn Blobaum, chairman of the Waterman Lions Club tractor show committee. “With the pandemic happening, we still wanted to do something, some kind of summer event, especially since it’s our 20th year. Waterman is a farming community, and we wanted to celebrate that.”

The parade of about 70 tractors was led by DeKalb County Farm Bureau President Mark Tuttle. Many tractor drivers participated in a ride before and after the parade to and from the park in Rollo.

The parade was co-sponsored by the Waterman Lions Club and the DeKalb County Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. Money raised from the parade entry fee benefitted the farm bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program and will help support the Waterman Lions Club’s charitable community work.

“I think most people think tractors are pretty cool,” said Mariam Wassmann, administrator with the Foundation for Agriculture. “Most people see tractors in a field. The parade allows people to see them close up, right on their street. Maybe it will spark an interest in farming or agriculture, especially in children.”

Each tractor had a sign attached to it with a number. Parade-watchers along the streets of Waterman could text in the number of their favorite tractor. The owners of the top three tractors won a trophy and a prize.

Bill Novicki of Sandwich won first place for his 1941 John Deere Model H, Terry Thompson of Ottawa won second place for his 1973 International 966 and Lyle Peterson of Streator won third place for his 1957 Minneapolis Moline 445.

John Talbert of Cortland and his wife Terri went to breakfast in Shabbona and saw a sign for the tractor parade taking place later that morning.

“I worked for a farm years ago and my grandparents had a farm,” John Talbert said. “It’s neat to see all the different kinds of tractors. The difference between the new and old tractors is tremendous. It’s also nice to see them out in the open, in town, not out in a field.”

Art Downs of Watseka brought his 1959 Case Model 200 B to ride in the parade.

“I came out because I enjoy riding on my tractor, getting out into the great outdoors and seeing scenic rural America,” Downs said. “It’s nice to just get some fresh air and enjoy the scenery the good Lord provided for us that we sometimes forget to look at.”