Old and Young Turn Out for Egypt Mills Festival

With the roaring sound of the tractor pull, Egypt Fest 2019 was in full swing.

Held on the grounds of the Egypt Mills Antique Tractor Club along Highway 177 north of Cape Girardeau, old and young from the community took part in the festivities.

Gary Scates of Dexter, Missouri, pulls in the garden tractor pull during Egypt Fest 2019 on the grounds of the Egypt Mills Antique Tractor Club in Egypt Mills. Jacob Wiegand ~ Southeast Missourian

David Powers said it was the 37th holding the festival held this year on the weekend of Aug. 24 and 25. Powers has lived in Egypt Mills for the last quarter century and is now president of the tractor club.

Anna Brown, 5, of Marble Hill, Missouri, sits with her grandfather, Mickey Brown of Marble Hill, as Mickey works the garden tractor pull during Egypt Fest 2019 .Jacob Wiegand - jwiegand@semissourian.com

The adults had their garden tractors, some throwing up dust clouds from the dirt track, for Saturday’s competition, including brands such as Massey Ferguson, Ford, Case and Cub Cadet.

Some were souped up and others more modest. The blaring of a pull by Ronald Kucera Jr. prompted his grandchildren Bryson and Carter Trowbridge, 4 and 2 respectively, of Millersville, Missouri, to cover their ears during one of their grandfather’s pulls.

Once the adults finished their pulls for the day, the kids had their own chances in competition.

A pedal-operated McCormick Farmall, small and red, with an attached weighted sled, similar to those used in regular tractor pulls, was the challenge for youngsters in the kiddie pedal pull.

But it was a power wheels mud bog where many of that same youthful generation would see who could farthest navigate their plastic vehicle through a track of mud.

“Kind of old school” was how Powers described things at the festival.

“Seems like all my neighbors are here,” the grandfather said. “It’s just a little small-town setting and, I don’t know, it’s just simple.”

The antique tractor pull was scheduled for Sunday at the final day of the festival.