Thursday, August 12, 2010

Why There Is No Show In 2010

We get a lot of questions about the 2010 show, or the next show anyway.  Half Century Of Progress is a biennial event that coincides with the Illinois appearance of the Farm Progress Show which alternates between Illinois and Indiana.

In preparation for the 2003 50th Anniversary edition of the Farm Progress Show a "pre-show" of vintage and antique tractors and equipment was created.  The 2003 FPS also returned to Vermilion County, Illinois, at Henning, only a few miles from the first show site at Armstrong, Illinois.  The event was so successful, especially with the rain shortened FPS, that a second edition was scheduled for 2005.  Without getting into a lot of details, and agreement was reached with the Village of Rantoul to hold the event at the Rantoul National Aviation Center, aka the former Chanute Air Force Base.

The success of the 2005 event led to a longer term agreement between the I&I Antique Tractor Club and  the Village of Rantoul. Succeeding events in 2007 and 2009 built on that success, and the steady growth of the event.  The biennial format also allows greater preparation time for the events.

So, the Half Century Of Progress event will be back in odd numbered years so mark your calendars and make your plans!