ELDORA — Those looking for some good old-fashioned fun, filled with free activities for the whole family, will find it at the 2026 Threshing Festival and Power Show on Saturday, July 25.

The event will be hosted by the Hardin County Farm Museum, 203 N. Washington St., Eldora. This is one mile north from the stoplight in Eldora on the east side of the road; look for the big white barn.

There is no admission to the show and all activities are free.

The 2026 Threshing Festival and Power Show will feature all makes and models of tractors. Exhibitors are also encouraged to bring hit and miss engines, machinery, old trucks and any power equipment they want to display. There is no registration fee for participants.

For more information, call Jason at 515-231-2377.

The Threshing Festival and Power Show will also feature old-fashioned machinery demonstrations. Museum volunteers will be threshing oat bundles using vintage equipment. These oat bundles were grown, cut, and bundled on the museum grounds. Other demonstrations will include combining oats, baling straw, corn shelling, plowing and a blacksmith.

The Farm Museum’s stationary hay baler, which is one of the first types of hay balers invented in the late 1890s, will be on display. This baler is one of a few of this kind still in existence. Volunteers will demonstrate this old way of baling to festival goers.

For kids, there will be free hands-on activities, including a petting barn, rope making, outdoor games, make-and-take pioneer crafts, wagon rides, and a giant corn box to play in. The Goose Creek Schoolhouse will be open for visitors and gives a glimpse of what it was like to attend school in a one-room schoolhouse. In addition, the barn loft is filled with antiques and artifacts of the area’s agricultural past and the outbuildings filled with tractors and machinery. The Ellis Country Church will also be open for visitors to view.

At 10 a.m., under the barn awning, will be a living history presentation entitled “250 years — America’s Journey,” featuring historical figures in character telling the story of the country’s past, patriotic music and audience participation.

Everyone is invited to cool off under the barn awning at 1 p.m. and enjoy an hour of free BINGO with prizes for winners.

Various live music will be featured under the awning throughout the day. Enjoy old-time favorites by John Schumacher during the pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and stay for the Backporch Pickers as they entertain festival goers with their country classics from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Food will be available inside the Farm Museum Barn from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast. The Hardin County Pork Producers will be grilling pork burgers with a full meal available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Homemade pie and ice cream will also be available all day inside the barn.