Drive-by free tractor show set for Saturday, May 16

On April 18, despite a few inches of snow on the ground, John Schiel’s home-grown drive-by tractor show proved so popular that he’s planning another, expanded one, this weekend.

“I was just feeling down in the dumps as a bunch of tractor shows I was planning to attend this spring and summer were cancelled,” explains John Schiel of how he got the idea of starting a “drive-by” show to entertain his neighbors and other interested community members.

On a snowy April day, John parked several tractors out in front of his Bridgewater Township home and waited to see if anyone would come to see them. He was amazed at the response.

“My hare-brained idea got an excellent turnout,” he said. “I had people driving by, blowing their horns. I had one lady pull in the driveway with a little boy. She had to get him out of his car seat so he could hang out the window and wave to me and say thank you. That kind of thing made it all seem worthwhile.”

So, he decided to expand his idea to a few friends. This Saturday, May 16, from 9 am to 4 pm, will be a second drive-by tractor show at seven different houses in the Manchester and Clinton area.

The addresses in Manchester are 14018 E. Austin Rd., 18751 Burtless Rd., 10592 M52, and 10491 Hogan Rd. In the Clinton area, there will be roadside tractors at 1313 Matthews Hwy., 12010 Murphy Hwy., and 4505 Pennington Rd. 

“It’s a free event,” Schiel says. “All it costs is your gas money, and that’s not too bad now either! I just wanted to share my love for tractors, and if you happen to be out and about on Saturday, this will give you an opportunity to see something a little different.”

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.