Grinnell Lions Ag Appreciation Day is Thursday, Aug. 31

     The Grinnell Ag Appreciation Day featured tractor, a 1972 John Deere 4020 owned by Darryl Hull of Grinnell. Darryl will head line the Larry VanErsvelde Tractor Parade at this year's event, slated for Aug. 31.

      The Grinnell Lions Ag Appreciation Day is slated for Thursday, Aug. 31 from 3 – 7 p.m., in and around Central Park in Grinnell.
       Ag Day will offer food, fun, exhibits, activities for kids, a guest speaker, music, various makes and models of tractors on display, hayrack rides, a tractor parade and just good family-friendly fun.
     A farm family will be awarded the Jim Urfer Spirit of Farming Award and an agribusiness will also be recognized. Al Maly with the Grinnell Lions will present the awards.
      Ashley Wolfe, Grinnell High School Agricultural Education instructor and FFA advisor, is this year’s guest speaker.
     The Grinnell FFA will be hosting a petting zoo while the HLV/BGM FFA will be offering a kidde tractor obstacle course and the Montezuma FFA is hosting a scavenger hunt.
        The featured tractor, a 1972 John Deere 4020 is owned by Darryl Hull of Grinnell.
        The event will end with the Larry VanErsvelde Tractor Parade, which starts rolling at 6:35 p.m.
      “Please encourage any and all tractor owners to bring them to Ag Day,” noted Maly. “New, old, show quality or right from the field. The bigger the tractor parade, the better.”
Schedule
• 12 – 3 p.m. – Tractor registration 
• 3 – 6:35 p.m. - Exhibitor displays open. A number of local and area businesses and organizations will have displays at the Ag Day event
• 3 – 7 p.m. – Dairy Barn on the Moove food trailer
• 3:30 – 5:45 p.m. – Hayrack rides
• 4 – 5:50 p.m. – Route 66 to provide the tunes; Petting Zoo, Pedal Tractor Obstacle and Obstacle Course hosted by local FFA Chapters
• 5:50 p.m. – Cub Scout Pack 347 will Present the Colors and lead the Pledge of Allegiance
• 5:55 p.m. – 2023 Miss Agriculture – Olivia Latcham
• 6 p.m. – Featured speaker – Ashley Wolfe, Grinnell High School Agricultural Education instructor and FFA advisor is the guest speaker.
• 6:15 – 6:20 p.m. – Presentation of Lions Club donations to area FFA Chapters
• 6:15 - 6:30 p.m. – Spirit of Farming and Ag Business Awards
• 6:30 p.m. – Tractor parade announced
• 6:35 p.m. – The Larry VanErsvelde Tractor Parade will wrap up the evening led by Darryl Hull on his featured 1972 John Deere 4020 tractor. The parade starts on 4th Avenue west to Broad Street, north on Broad Street, west on 5th Avenue, south on Main Street, east on 4th Avenue, south on Broad Street and will finish at 1stStreet.