RUSSELLVILLE, Mo. - As the name suggests, the annual Russellville Engine Show and Frog Leg Festival features a variety of motorized devices.
Combined with the 175th anniversary, the June 7-9 festival will include a Cruise-In, Pedal Pull Competition, chainsaw competition, steam engine show and an array of tractors.
John Otto, who organizes the tractor show, doesn't live in Russellville, but he enjoys supporting the festival.
More so, he likes John Deere tractors.
"I love old machinery," Otto said. "And the elderly like to see what they or their parents used to work with."
Otto said he hopes to have as many as 30 antique tractors lined up for the 9:30 a.m. Saturday parade and then on display the rest of the day.
Rodney Edwards remembers watching the steam engine show setup from his grandparents' house, which faces the City Park.
"There would be all kinds of different engines set up," Edwards recalled. "Setup would start around Wednesday evening and sometimes go through until Sunday morning."
Continuing the community's tradition, Edwards took over organizing the Cruise-In, which he hopes will bring up to 100 vehicles from the early 1930s to the 1970s.
The Cruise-In will be 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at the Scrivner-Morrow Funeral Home parking lot at the corner of Simpson and Park streets.
Car show participants are invited to drive in the parade, which begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with the theme "Originality - Workmanship." The lineup begins at 8:30 a.m. at St. Michael's Catholic Church on North Hatler Street.
The Engine Show and Frog Leg Festival Parade will begin at 9:30 a.m. featuring floats with the theme "Originality - Workmanship" and lots of tractors.
"I think the value of the event overall is gathering a community and celebrating the establishment of our city," Edwards said. "It gets everyone together to visit and even meet new friends and neighbors."
Related article:
Competition rooted in pioneer experience
Website: