Ag-Rail Festival Set for Saturday and Sunday, August 15th and 16h

(Sioux City, IA) - Ag-Rail, the tri-state region’s annual celebration of its agricultural and railroad heritage, returns to the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District in Sioux City this Saturday and Sunday, August 15th and 16th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This festival, now in its seventh year, is one of the tri-state region’s family-oriented festivals that provides over 14 hours of programming focusing on our historical and musical roots in agriculture and railroading. The festival attracts over 65 exhibitors from three states and draws over 3,000 visitors from as far away as Colorado, Illinois and Canada.

The annual Ag-Rail Festival is a signature event produced by the Siouxland Historical Railroad Association in partnership with vintage tractor enthusiasts from the tri-state region interested in the restoration, preservation and safe operation of vintage tractors and historic farm machinery.

Festival-goers will enjoy a variety of country and bluegrass music. The tractor and farm machinery enthusiasts will demonstrate their vintage iron and threshing machinery. The SHRA will provide exhibits and displays of railroad equipment, along with motor car rides. Field demonstrations this year will include oat threshing, corn shelling and field plowing. A tractor pull and tractor parade will be held both days.

Special activates are planned for children, including a kids peddle tractor pull both days. Several model railroad displays, including a Thomas the Tank Engine layout and an O scale layout, will be on display and operational for the public. A petting zoo and inflatable play areas will be open to the public for an additional fee.

This year’s historic railroad exhibits will feature the restored steam locomotive “Ironhorse 1355.” On Saturday, the locomotive will be on display inside the roundhouse building for cab tours and photo opportunities of kids sitting in the engineer and fireman seats. On Sunday, weather permitting, the locomotive will be rolled out of the roundhouse at 9:00 a.m. for public photo opportunities of the locomotive next to the turntable. According to Matt Merk, festival director, “The roll-out of the engine will enable the public to capture photographs of the locomotive in daylight. We are only going to allow day-light photo opportunities on rare occasions. This year’s Ag-Rail Festival is one of those special events where we will bring the locomotive out of the roundhouse.”


Admission to the festival will be $2.00 for individuals age 13 and over – children under 12 will be admitted free with paid adult admissions. Proceeds from the Festival help support the ongoing restoration and maintenance of the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District, the surrounding farmland and habitat areas, and ongoing Festival expenses.

Built in 1917, the Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District, an official project of the Save America’s Treasures Program and a Preserve America site, is located adjacent to the Big Sioux River and Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, on State Highway 12 in Sioux City’s north Riverside neighborhood – approximately two miles south of Stone State Park.

Due to the reconstruction of I-29 Iowa Exit 151 in Riverside, visitors are encouraged to use I-29 South Dakota Exit 2 and exit east on to River Drive, and turn right to head south on Military Road until reaching the junction of Highway 12 and Military Road. At this junction, turn left to head back north on State Highway 12 towards the historic district, which is approximately 2 miles south of Stone State Park.

All tractors, machinery are welcomed for display – running or not. If you are interested in displaying your vintage iron, tractors, or other historic farm machinery, the historic district will be open on Friday, August 14th, to allow you the opportunity to set up your display. For more information on how you may become an exhibitor, please call 712-276-6432 or e-mail shra@cableone.net.