A “Tractor Trek” will kick-start the event on Friday. The tractors will assemble in Makoti at 8:45 a.m., travel to Ryder for coffee, and then back to Makoti for lunch.

There will be two new exciting activities this year: a lefse cookoff on Saturday and the North Dakota Draft Horse Association driving exhibition on both days.

The show has over 300 operating units. A huge parade is held each day at 1 p.m. There is threshing, plowing and mucking demonstrations daily on the threshing grounds south of town. Other events include a huge stationary engine display, North Dakota’s largest crawler tractor collection, tractor teeter totter, an antique power log saw and an operating shingle mill.

The pioneer village on the grounds consists of churches, cook cars, homestead shacks, a country school, a post office and a working blacksmith shop. The buildings have been furnished with items of the time period. Neil Larson’s collectibles will be open for viewing in the old Larson Implement uptown. Bessie Bingo will be held both days, and Mutton Bustin’ for the kids will be at 11 a.m. each morning. The Backseat Driver Lawnmower Obstacle Course has the driver blindfolded and receives voice instructions from his partner, instructing how to steer the lawn tractor through an obstacle course.

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Activities on Saturday only include a kiddie tractor pull, Giant Pumpkin judging and weighing, a spaghetti supper and entertainment and live music in the evening. Sunday’s highlights are church services in the pioneer village, Lenny the Clown and his magic show and the two-cylinder John Deere slow race.

Shopping is available in the large heated indoor flea market and at the souvenir booth in the announcer’s stand. Raffle tickets are available, with the drawing to be held Sunday afternoon. There will be drawings for children’s prizes each day, but you must be present to win.

Come hungry; stay late! Food of all kinds is offered, from sit down dinners to cotton candy, served at cook cars and concession stands on the threshing grounds and uptown. The Makoti Development Committee is sponsoring a steak fry at the K-Bar on Friday night. Students from the Lewis and Clark School District will host a spaghetti supper on Saturday night and a threshers’ pancake breakfast on Sunday morning as fundraisers.

Parking is free of charge and handicapped parking is available along the parade route. There are modern showers and bathrooms located on the grounds and camping on grounds (with or without electrical hookups) is also available. Call 702-300-5818 to reserve a camping site ($15 per night for electricity) or leave a message at 701-726-5200. Visit makotithreshingshow.org or on Facebook for more information and updates. Schedules will also be available at the gate. The purchase of a $10 button covers admission for both days. There is no charge for children 18 and under.

Makoti is located on N.D. Highway 23, 43 miles southwest of Minot (18 miles south on U.S. 83, 24 miles west on N.D. Highway 23 and one mile south on Ward County 9).

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