Description – The annual Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, held the five days ending Labor Day each year, provides opportunities for visitors to experience the rich agricultural heritage of the Midwest through interpretive historical exhibits, many demonstrations of machinery operation and crafts, tours, and educational programs. Held on a 180-acre site, visitors can tour on foot and by ground trains, electric trolleys, and a steam-propelled train.
Historical exhibits include operating steam and gas engines, antique tractors, antique cars and trucks, electric trolleys, a steam train, an 1894 steam carousel, a Log Village – where costumed interpreters help visitors experience as life as it was in the 1850s, horse-powered activities such as threshing and transportation of visitors, and memorabilia of early tent and repertoire theatre.
All types of entertainment take place with free music presentations occurring in five different locations on the grounds, Chautauqua talks, and top name country entertainers performing in front of the grandstand on four nights. All country music shows are free with purchase of a gate admission, seating is first come first serve.
In several locations on the grounds crafts and antiques are sold. Crafters, when possible, demonstrate various facets in the preparation of their craft items. In addition, crafts and antiques are sold in the Central Park area of downtown Mt. Pleasant. (Continuous shuttle service is provided from the grounds to the downtown.)
This celebration will be one that, once you attend, you will want to come back year after year. There is always something new to see and new friends to meet as well as connecting with those you have met in years past.
In order to provide for the needs of some of the visitors, free parking and a 60-acre campground are nearby. Food service is provided by more than 20 different non-profit organizations as fund-raising opportunities in most of the areas.
The facility is capable of hosting bus tours and special admission can be arranged for groups of 20 or more.
Admission – Admission to the entire complex is $12 for a single day or $20 for more than one day per person. Children 10 and under are admitted free. Those paying admission receive a wrist band that entitles them to move around various parts of the grounds. The admission fees are collected starting with the Monday before the Reunion starts, when temporary exhibits and craft areas are being set up. Reunion gates open daily at 7 am.
Directions – west of junction of US 218 (New Avenue of the Saints – Hwy 27) and US 34, south on Walnut Street, at 407 East Threshers Road. New interstate highway allows for easy access to Mt. Pleasant from the North and South, Hwy 34 East and West is nearly completed as a 4 lane highway from Des Moines to Mt. Pleasant.
Hours – 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM, Wednesday through Sunday, show ends on Labor Day officially around 5:00 PM or when horse pulling contest has been completed
Phone – (319) 385-0000 (Headquarters – only good during Reunion dates); (319) 385-0000 (Box Office – only good during Reunion dates); Main office number (319) 385-8937
Dates:
Old Threshers Reunion
August 30 – September 3, 2012
Old Threshers Reunion
August 29 – September 2, 2013
Old Threshers Reunion
August 28 – September 1, 2014
Old Threshers Reunion
September, 3 – 7, 2015
Old Threshers Reunion
September 1 – 5, 2016
Old Threshers Reunion
August 31 – September 4, 2017
Can you tell me who the performers will be this Labor Day at the Thresher Reunion?
Hi Karen,
This year the entertainment will be: Trilly Cole
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
ALL COUNTRY MUSIC SHOWS ARE FREE
WITH PURCHASE OF A GATE ADMISSION
TO THE 2008 OLD THRESHERS REUNION
ALL SEATING FOR EACH FREE CONCERT IS FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED;
WITH A LIMITED NUMBER OF SPECIAL 24″ WIDE RESERVED SEATS
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN THE GRANDSTAND CENTER SECTIONS
All concerts start at 8:00pm
Country Gold – Leroy Van Dyke, Rex Allen, Jr., Gene Watson, Charlie Rich, Jr.
Thursday, August 28
Jason Michael Carroll
Friday, August 29, 2008
Little Big Town
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Mark Chesnutt
Sunday, August 31, 2008
We hope you enjoy your trip to Mt. Pleasant. It is a fabulous community with super people and great shops along with the craft areas and the Midwest Old Thresher Reunion.
Thank you for contacting http://www.iowabeautiful.com for your information.
The Editor
Is there a carnival with smaller rides for young children or a petting zoo?
No, there is not a carnival at the celebration. There is a Merry Go Round that children and adults love to ride but no other carnival rides.
The celebration is filled with music, demonstrations, museums, crafters and shows so you will still enjoy the whole experience.
The Editor
Pat Watson
This is a follow up to Sherri O’Rourke’s question:
There are lots of activities for young children at Old Threshers! Besides the merry-go-round (which is fabulous!), they also have voluteers help the kids drive tractors, ride ponies, and have little “shows” for children. At the log village, they have a magic show/apothocary thing along with lots of animals for the kids to see and pet. Such as: a pony, 2 cows with their calves, sheep, chickens, etc. My kids loved it–especiallly seeing the cows getting milked! They also have demonstrations of how things were done long ago. It’s a truly wonderful event–and you don’t have to love tractors to love going to Old Threshers.
There’s so much for everyone of all ages to see and do. The Train rides, the cable car to and from the village, there is always something going on, plenty of places to get something to either eat or snack on or drink! It’s just a great time and they always have the best entertainment! The parking is well done and you get shuttled to and from the grounds to the Reunion area. My special interest this year is seeing if the gentleman that carves the wooden bowels will be there. I want to get one for myself and one for my daughter and daughter-in-law. We also want to go to the entertainment for Sunday evening. The one year we got to stay Aaron Tippin was the entertainment that night and his performance was AWESOME!!!!! My husband and I still talk about that! I grew up on a farm with a grandfather that drove the machinery that is on the grounds, in fact, when he was alive, he came down and drove one of the big engines! I’m hoping we have nice weather conditions this year! The special shows they have are actually, i think, geared to the kids and the kids always love them. It’s a special event that everyone should experience at least once and then go back to catch up on what they missed the first time! See you at the Reunion! (I drove a Allis Chalmers WD and WD45 before I ever learned to drive a car, and remember our old team of horses that we used to put up hay in the barn with the forks!
We are coming for the first time and i hear it is suppose to be a fantastic time, what i need to know is shuttle times from the town square to the the JASON MICHAEL CARROLL concert i see him in Waverly Iowa he put on one hell of a concert. Will you please let me know we are staying at a local motel and need shuttle stimes thank you. Laurie
Hi Laurie,
Welcome to Mt. Pleasant. Who ever told you that you will have a fantastic time is right on the money. Not only is the celebration and all there is to see and do a great time but the people of the community are top of the line.
The shuttles run from the park in the center of town out to Old Thresher’s grounds and run all day from early morning until after the show in the evening. You will need to come to the square from the hotel to catch the shuttle. It sure is better than fighting the traffic and parking to go out to the grounds.
You can catch the shuttle anytime before the concert and catch it back to the square following the concert.
The square will also be filled with vendors and food vendors for your enjoyment before you head out to the grounds so be sure to come uptown a little bit early.
Pat Watson
Editor
Hey Pat, thank you for a wonderful time we are planning on coming back next year and plan on staying for the whole weekend this time. the person that told us all bout what was going on is originally from there her name is Raelyn Weigel i dont know her maiden name is thanks again. Laurie and Tom Waterman
Is there a Country Gold show this year and who is in it 2009
The shows are listed on the site now, all are free with your ticket to OT. Hopefully there are entertainers that will have you excited to come and listen to as well as to see all the activities and displays at the grounds!
Pat Watson, Editor
http://www.iowabeautiful.com
TO EVERYONE READ THIS. .VE BEEN GOING THERE FOR 25 YEARS.NEVER HAD A BAD TIME.THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO.. DID YOU KNOW HATS WHERE THEY BUILT MICHEAL JACKSON TRAIN FOR NEVER LAND AT,[MCRR]. YOU CAN RIDE TE TROLLIES ORTRAIN. THE STEAM TRAIN HAS A MOCKUP SHOT OUT WHERE THE KIDS GT ALL THE FONY DOLLAR BILLS. GRANPA BARN S WHERE YOU CAN TAKE THE KIDS TO SEE ND PET THE ANIMALS.EVERYONE HASA GARAGE SALE THEN TO. ALOT OF CRAFTER & ANTIQUES ARE FOR SALE EVERWHERE. A LOT DOWN HGWY 214 TOO.RODEVOUS TENT SELL WARES,FURS,JEWELRY. YOU CAN CAMP THERE , MOTELS FILL FAST. THERE ARE BED & BREAKFASTS[SOME] OR RENT A LAWN FROM A NEIGHBOR. THEREIS ALSO A TENT OR RESALE OF WHATEVER YOU WANT O SELL[ MOSTLY FARM STUFF]. LOTS OF GREAT COUNTRY SINGERS,AND YOU ARE CLOSE. BRING A CAMERA.AND A FRIEND…………
I’ve been going to OT more years than I like to remember and while they always have great grandstand entertainment, this year was a major disappointment. We arrived early and got 2nd row center seats. However, people were allowed to stand from the stage to the seating and back up the aisles so no one could see anything. Also the sound level was extremely loud. Mel Tillis was perfect. He looked and acted very professional and the sound and group were very well behaved. The same could be said for Restless Heart and Collin Raye. However, there were the people once again in front of the stage for that concert. The sound was a bit high but tolerable. I can’t believe that the entertainers were so caught up in the people in front of the stage that they didn’t see people pouring out because of the sound level and the inconsideration of the crowd. I can’t believe that they would prefer to play to the 300 hundred or so rude people cramming the stage front rather than the vast crowd in the bleachers and seats.
One Of the best antique tractor shows i have ever been to.
My great grandfather, Camel Carnahan, of Mt Pleasant was one of the original founders of the Old time Threshers. Glad it is still going on all these years later. Mt.Pleasant was my home til I was five years old and my grandparents lived there til their passing.
WHEN IS THE REUNION THIS YEAR 2011?
ALSO WHAT TIME DO GATES OPEN AND WHAT IS THE COST PER DAY?
September 1 – 5, 2011
when is the reunion for 2012 and who are the singers?
2012 Entertainment will be: The Wissmann Family on Wed., Aug 29, Country Gold on Thursday, Aug. 30: Leroy Van Dyke, Rex Allen Jr, T.G. Sheppard, Leona Williams, and Narvel Felts. On Friday, Aug. 31 there will be Glen Templeton & LoCash Cowboys. September 1, Saturday will be Thompson Square and on Sunday, September 2 there will be Eli Young Band.
Hopefully you enjoy the Midwest Old Threshers and the fabulous people of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
we have never been to your show ,and are hoping to come. was wandering about your policy on golf carts , we have a john deere gator, and was hoping to bring it along. sure sounds like you cover a lot of acreage, not as young as we use to be . we have insurancefor off the farm usage. thanks.
is there a reduced rate for veterans?
No, sorry.
Can we bring a golf cart? What is your policy?