2017 TRACTOR PARADE
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For parade details call Tom at 369-9494 or Lynn at 369-9074
For event details call Geri at 369-4538
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The tractor parade began in 2010 as an addition to the Old Home Day celebration which had been celebrated in Sidney Center for many years. (Old Home Day celebrations began back in the 1920’s.) Members of the Sidney Center Improvement Group (SCIG) organized the tractor parade to add a dimension to the day’s events. For many years, members of the Maywood Historical Group hosted the Old Home Day celebration – the event was usually held in July in unison with Sidney’s Alumni weekend. In 2010, Old Home Day was held in September in an attempt to bring more people to the event.
Because of the numerous positive remarks, we knew that this was something that we would like to try again. Each successive year has seen an increase in the number of participants – some coming from other counties. In 2011, a number of tractor clubs, as well as the Doodlebug Club from Franklin, NY joined the ranks of parade participants and have taken part each year.
Originally, the tractor parade started at the (former) Sidney Center school and ended at the firemen’s field. In 2012, due to the increased number of participants, the parade route was changed and the parade had it’s start and finish in the center of the Hamlet at the firemen’s field - this change gave the drivers a chance to pass each other on the route.
The firemen of Sidney Center have partnered with us each year – their support of the event is outstanding. They assist in traffic control and are up at the crack of dawn to light the charcoal and get the grill ready for their famous BBQ chicken. The size of the event has grown so that they had to increase the size of their BBQ pit!
2016 Parade Photos
2017 Tractor Parade
September 16, 2017 @ 12 Noon
ABOUT THIS YEAR'S GRAND MARSHALL
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Ernie Bartz of Sidney Center has been invited to lead off the 8th Annual Sidney Center Tractor Parade on September 16th as the parade’s honored Grand Marshal.
Ernie was born in Sidney Center on November 29, 1928. In 1937, and after his mother went on a campaign for indoor plumbing, the family moved to the farm on Couse Hill which had been in his mother’s family since the 1800’s. The farm had no electric service until 1945. Ernie remembers fondly that he and his siblings were fortunate in that they didn’t have to help milk before they set off for school. All farm responsibilities were carried out after school hours.
After high school, Ernie took advantage of an opportunity to go to Cornell for a 2-week training course by the Dairy Herd Improvement Association which afforded him the opportunity to work as a “milk tester”. This job consisted of weighing and taking samples of the individual cow’s milk production at the farms on his route. He feels that this job gave him insight on farming on his own as he witnessed how the “good” farmers operated.
Ernie married his sweetheart Ginny Ashton in May of 1950. In 1953, they purchased the family farm from his parents. Initially, they owned 16 cows, a team of horses and all horse drawn equipment. One of their first purchases was a John Deere H tractor from Hiram Howes in Trout Creek. Ginny continued to work off the farm during the day to help them make a go of it. Gradually they increased the herd to 50 cows and added a John Deere B tractor as well as a Case 300, Ford 5000 and Long 910 4-wheel drive to their equipment barn.
In 1986, Ernie and Ginny retired from farming. Ginny passed away in 2012. They were blessed with three sons – Steve, Dan and Tim; four grandsons and two granddaughters and two great-grandsons. Steve died as a result of an automobile accident while serving in the Navy in the 1970’s.
Not a person to let the grass grow under his feet, Ernie currently works one day a week at Copes Corners Park near Gilbertsville and is on call for the Office of the Aging as a driver to take people to their medical appointments. In 2010, Ernie became a member of The Barnstormers, a 4-part male choral group that has been performing concerts throughout New England, PA and NY for more than 70 years. Locally, Ernie is a member of the Tri-County Seniors and the Sidney Center Family & Friends Church.
We are so very fortunate to celebrate Ernie Bartz this year and thank him for accepting our invitation to lead off the Sidney Center Tractor Parade on September 16th. Please come out and say hello – he’ll be happy to shake your hand.
Registration for parade entries begins at 9:00 AM at the new Sidney Center fire station in the heart of the hamlet. Registration will end at 11:45 AM (sorry, no late entries). The parade, consisting of tractors, garden tractors, collectable cars, Doodlebugs and other “cool stuff” will begin promptly at noon. Entertainment, children activities, trophies, raffle prizes – and a delicious chicken BBQ (cooked and served by the Sidney Center Fire Dept.) will be available.
For parade details call Tom at 369-9494 or Lynn at 369-9074. For event details call Geri at 369-4538. Event details can be found on-line at scigny.org.
