“Celebrating Our Agricultural Heritage” is the theme of the 2009 event.

Someone will take home a piece of that heritage. A 1948 Model G Allis-Chalmers tractor will be raffled off at the event.

There will be 900 exhibitors on hand for the spring event.

Started in 1992, the two-day event showcases antique equipment collectors and craftsmen from throughout California and the United States.

The show features:

--Daily antique tractor and truck parade

--Displays of antique tractors and engines

--Antique auction

--Antique ag tractor pull

--Garden tractor pull

--Swap meet

--Arts and craft exhibit

--“Kiddie Korral”

--6th annual rib cook-off

--Saturday night steak barbeque dinner and concert

--Pancake breakfast and worship services Sunday morning

Show hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday April 18, and 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2009.

General Admission is $8; Children under 12 are admitted free.

RV parking is available at the show site, but there are no hookups.

Long-time Agri-Center volunteers, George Watte and Robbie Soults traveled down to Vista, Calif. to attend an antique farm equipment show. On their journey home, they decided to start the valley’s first antique farm equipment show at the expansive International Agri-Center.

Watte had a few pieces of antique equipment he had been collecting over the years, and a number of other Agri-Center volunteers shared the same passion. Watte served as chairman for the first two years of the California Antique Farm Equipment Show.

The first show was a huge success, and by the third year, it had tripled in size. It is now the largest antique farm equipment show on the West Coast.

It draws antique farm equipment collectors from throughout the United States, bringing their antique tractors, engines and implements.