2002 Threshing Days start Friday years ago
Annual celebration
to feature traditional demonstations, new children's activities
Traditional favorites will combine with some new activities this year during Goessel's annual Threshing Days. The fun starts Friday, Aug. 2, and ends Sunday, Aug. 4.
Most of the events will take place on the grounds of the Mennonite Heritage Museum complex.
"Let us entertain and educate you" is the theme of this year's Threshing Days, which celebrate the traditional threshing methods used to remove grain from the heads of wheat, said Anita Goertzen.
Goertzen is a member of the Threshing Days committee, as well as the Goessel city manager. Goertzen has lived in Goessel all her life, but this is the first year she's been involved in planning the yearly event, she said.
New this year is a wide variety of children's activities, including "Uncle Milt's Shed," which is a place for make-it and take-it children's crafts.
Children can also participate in several contests, such as cow-chip throwing, watermelon-seed spitting, and apple paring.
Also new this year is nightly entertainment, beginning with the singing/songwriting duo Mattson and Weber. They'll perform under the tent Friday night at 7:30. Contemporary Christian artist Bekah Frees will perform Saturday night at the same time.
Sunday night, as part of Main Street Event, Hieberts Dulcimers Etc. will perform at 7 p.m. After they're through, country group Cactus Jack will close out the evening's entertainment.
As always, Threshing Days will feature the traditional tractor displays, threshing demonstrations, and museum tours. There will also be demonstrations of how prairie farmers used to make traditional foods such as zwiebach, and how wheat weaving is done.
One can't-miss activity has to be the "Voices from the Past," Goertzen said.
At 3:30 p.m. Saturday, longtime Goessel resident and doctor "Doc" Krause will share his memories of practicing primitive medicine in rural Kansas.
"I think he's going to have some really interesting stories," Goertzen said.
Admission to Threshing Days is a button for those ages 12 and up. Buttons are $4 if purchased in advance, and $5 at the gate. Covered wagon rides will require an additional charge.
