Tykes and Tractors - Folks of all ages, including the little tykes, had tons of fun as they gathered to celebrate the early years of tractor manufacturing at this year's Old Gas Tractor Show hosted by the Mid Michigan Old Gas Tractor Association August 17-19 in Oakley. (Citizen Photo by Deb Miller)

There were lots of oddballs on hand, (and even some unique pieces of farm machinery too), for the event hosted by the Mid Michigan Old Gas Tractor Association (MMOGTA) as the group's 33rd annual show paid tribute to the rich and colorful history of mechanized agriculture by saluting the Orphans and Oddballs of the early years of farm equipment manufacturing.

While organizers expected a somewhat smaller show this year due to their choice of featured tractors not being a popular major brand, overall numbers were up from last year's show with more tractors being exhibited, more entries in the tractor pulls, and more people camping on the grounds located at Ferden and Brennan Roads in Oakley.

Walk in attendance for both Friday and Saturday was up over Friday and Saturday of last year's John Deere show with Saturday seeing the show grounds parking lot filled to capacity, and traffic backed up on Brennan Road all the way to M-57.

And despite rainy weather on Saturday evening and all day on Sunday, lots of fun was still had as folks donned raincoats and muck boots and had some good old fashioned fun playing in the mud with tractor pulling, muddy tug of war, mud sledding, and even some mud wrestling.

Even with the rain, over 750 dinners were served at Sunday's Chicken BBQ.

Show organizers deemed this year's event one of the clubs most successful shows, with the highest two-day attendance in the show's history.

For more information or to view pictures from this year's show visit www.mmogta.org

And for additional photos from this year's show see page 2 of this week's Citizen.