The Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee in Somerset County is a 5 day festival that showcases antique agricultural machinery popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Since 1953, the Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee has been held in New Centerville as a way of keeping alive agricultural traditions and technology that have largely vanished from the modern landscape.
The event has become one of the premier antique farm equipment shows in the eastern United States, and draws visitors each year from around the world.
What to See and Do at the Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee
One of the most interesting events is the daily Parade of Antique Equipment around the Jubilee grounds, which happens at 1:00 pm each day.
Late 19th and early 20th century tractors make their way around an oval track while an announcer tells you a little bit about each tractor and its owner.
Many of the families who participate in the parade have been doing so for multiple generations, passing down a passion for keeping the traditions of old alive.
Other equipment, like this steam-powered sawmill, are also fired-up for demonstrations throughout the Jubilee.
In addition to the daily demonstrations of working antique machinery, there are a variety contests, live music, and LOTS of food!
The horse pulling contest is one of my favorite events to watch, and that happens on Saturday afternoon at 2 pm.
The horseshoe pitching contest is another fun event to watch, the forefather to modern cornhole.
Live music performances (typically country, bluegrass, and/or gospel) are held throughout the festival inside the Museum Hall.
The Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee: When and Where
The Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee runs the Wednesday – Sunday following Labor Day.
The event is held on the grounds of the New Centerville Fire Company, 9 miles south of Somerset along Route 281.
You can check the 2022 Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee event schedule for each day on the Jubilee’s OFFICIAL WEBSITE.
Final Thoughts on the Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee
The Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee celebrates both the agricultural pioneers of America and the tools they used at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.
It’s a family-friendly event heavy on tradition and light on pretense.
No matter where you go on the Jubilee grounds, or what events you watch, the underlying theme is love and respect for country life.
If you enjoy learning about history in a first-person way, there’s no better opportunity to observe the evolution of agricultural machinery than by attending the Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee in Somerset County!
Related Attractions
Mountain Craft Days is a three-day outdoor festival featuring more than 125 artisans and entertainers interpreting rural life in western PA in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Held on the scenic wooded grounds of the Somerset Historical Center the same weekend as the Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee, Mountain Craft Days is an excellent way to learn how the first European settlers in western PA lived, worked, ate, and played.
The Nittany Antique Machinery Show is yet another celebration of America’s agricultural history and heritage!
The Nittany Antique Machinery Association holds shows twice a year – the Spring Show is the weekend after Memorial Day; the Fall Show is the weekend after Labor Day.
10 Great September Events in Pennsylvania is your guide to even more fairs, festivals, and ethnic heritage celebrations across the state in September.
18 Must-See Attractions in Somerset County is your guide to even more great things to see and do in the region around the Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee.
22 Fabulous Fall Foliage Destinations in the Laurel Highlands of PA shows you some of the best spots for “leaf peeping” in the region that USA Today called the #3 destination in the entire United States for spectacular fall foliage views!
Exploring the Covered Bridges of Somerset County takes you on a tour of all ten historic covered bridges in the county.
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