Wright enlisted his son Kelly to help organize the parade. He said he had passed some ideas for other events to different groups and found they did not happen, so the auctioneers decided to take the bull by the horns themselves.
“We’re really running with it, even though we are busy with sales. We feel the town really needs it.”
The idea is for a parade featuring agricultural equipment from throughout our local farming history. The fact it is a unique concept is part of the appeal.
“I don’t think it has ever been done before,” Wright stated. “There have been agricultural parades, but I don’t think there has ever been one to include the equipment through the years.”
The theme will allow everyone to see how much farming has changed over time.
“Our goal is to show the progress. A lot of us don’t realize the change in equipment over the years. It’s not just an equipment parade. It is to show progress in farming, to show no matter what happens, there will always be farming. We’re going through a pandemic, but it does not slow the farmers. They keep producing.”
 They are looking for all types and years of equipment. Tractors, manure spreaders, seeders, tillage equipment, cattle trailers – all are welcome. Wright said they had two or three horse drawn pieces coming. They will even be having one of the first push lawnmowers alongside the newest. As he said, there has been a lot of change over the many years people have farmed in the area. Cattle were once herded by horse and then by quads. Tractors changed in power and size. Now there is GPS in equipment. Farming likely shows the technological progress over a century plus as well as any other area.
“We don’t want to leave anything out,” Wright stated.
He said they have antique tractors coming from places as far out as Oak Lake and Alexander. Due to the cancellations of many events this summer like the Austin Thresherman’s Reunion and Killarney Pioneer Days, people lost their venues for showing off their old equipment, and are happy to join in the Boissevain parade.
At the time of speaking, the Wrights were still looking for some more local participation, particularly for equipment from the middle and more modern years. The original goal was to have around 200 pieces involved. Wright said there is definitely that amount of equipment from all years out there, and they have been advertising and have entry forms out. It is just a matter of getting people interested.
The idea is to have a lengthy parade.
“We’re hoping for two or three hours long. We’re hoping to get enough stuff that it will take up the better part of an afternoon.”
The hope is the timing is right for this type of endeavour. With haying finished and before most of harvest begins, farmers can bring their operating equipment in and take part.
The parade will be along the larger streets in Boissevain like Mill Road, Broadway, South Railway, and Mountain. This will give the equipment more room to maneuver and for the crowds to watch while social distancing. Wright added residents of Westview Lodge will have the opportunity to see the parade twice and he is hoping Evergreen residents can come out and watch as well.
Wright said if the parade is successful, it might be held again in the future. This is the year for parades in Boissevain, having had a vintage vehicle one and another for grad in June. This would be the largest and certainly a unique one. The organizers hope they can put together something good for the community during a tough time and that people will come out and enjoy it.
“The whole goal of this is to bring something to Boissevain,” Wright said. “There is not too much to do right now. What is more exciting than an agricultural parade in an agricultural community? We rely on farmers and this is a way for them to show us what they’ve got and to thank them for what they do. We want them to bring their equipment on in, show us how it works.”
“We want to entertain everyone from five to 95.”

by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff