In the Grove

INTRODUCTION:

Although Oregon State Fair is home to many diverse agricultural events and exhibits, Antique Powerland stands out as a premier program aimed at patron education.  From their immaculate restoration and maintenance of farm equipment, to their informational visitor’s area staffed by passionate volunteers, this distinctive display was certainly a site to be seen.  To say that Antique Powerland was a highlight of the fair would be an understatement.

Antique Powerland offers patrons the unique opportunity to walk back in time, and have a glimpse into the history of American agriculture.  Tractors and other implements are displayed, some in working order, to highlight the progression farm machinery from past to present.  The information below will describe an overview of the Antique Powerland Display, will detail their efforts for patron education and interaction, and finally will explain marketing materials used before and during Oregon State Fair.

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM:

The Antique Powerland Display was designed to preserve farm equipment, and educate the farm implement enthusiasts as well as non-agricultural fair patrons alike. The display offered fairgoers the opportunity to examine a wide variety of machinery, and the program was well staffed with educated volunteers, passionate about showcasing the history of agriculture through this interactive exhibit. 

In so many ways agriculture is a topic lost in our day to day vocabulary—but it has been, and will always remain, one of the cornerstones of our state and national economy.  With events highlighting agriculture lessening with each passing year, county and state fairs remain one of the sole places for the general public to be exposed to the folks remain devoted to agriculture.

The educational exhibit was staffed by members of the Antique Powerland Museum Association volunteers, whose goal is to engage all ages in developing a desire to become interested in their own history and function as stewards of heritage.

PATRON EDUCATION & INTERACTION:

Throughout the course of the fair it was easy to see the dedication the Antique Powerland exhibit volunteers had for their cause of educating the public about antique farm machinery.  Every morning a crop of individuals, willing and ready to take on the day, showed up with the same excitement of the first day of fair.

Volunteers conversed with fair patrons, answering questions from those young and old.  To add, they also had written educational materials at every piece of farm machinery that provided information on the name, owner, and purpose of each item.  Some bigger displays also had more detailed information on the history of one such model, a more in depth look at why that particular implement was so important in history, or how far we have come in the design and fabrication of farm equipment.

MEDIA COVERAGE:

Through use of online media techniques, such as Facebook and Twitter the Oregon State Fair was able to relay the information to possible fair patrons in the most accessible format possible.  Along with this, the Antique Powerland exhibit was open free of charge to all fairgoers, giving media and other press the ability to use this educational display in a variety of different ways.  The area was also highlighted in the Oregon State Fair Daily Program, a printed informational booklet that is given out to fair patrons, as well as distributed across the city of Salem in an addition of the Statesman Journal. 

CONCLUSION:

To conclude, the Antique Powerland exhibit was a great addition to the 2012 Oregon State Fair for many reasons—the high standard of educational value, and the dedicated staff that the exhibit brought with it.  In terms of value-added fair displays this was certainly one of them.

Antique Powerland WEBSITE