A year ago, Karen Ranger wanted to make sure the memory of James “Buddy” Naughton lived on.
The annual Grand Ridge Community Festival Tractor Ride and Show was held in memory of longtime participants, the Naughton’s.
After Ranger’s death in September, organizers decided to hold the 2022 tractor ride on Saturday in his memory, which seemed natural since Ranger was always the first to highlight others.
Among the many organizations Ranger regularly helped, she volunteered as an organizer for the Grand Ridge Community Festival, especially the tractor ride. Ranger won the Streator Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Maxine Wargo Volunteer of the Year Award for her many community efforts, ranging from helping the American Cancer Society with Relay for Life to creating from the Cancer Resource Center at the OSF Center for Health-Streator. with the Park Presbyterian Church, among other projects.
Ranger displayed her own restored 1947 Farmall tractor. The tractor was painted purple in her honor as a cancer survivor and was given to her by her husband for her birthday.
The tractor show is scheduled all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday along Burlington Avenue.
Registration for the ride will be on Saturday at 7am, and departure will begin at 8am rain or shine.
For more information, call 815-252-3406 or 815-488-6263.
The show and tractor ride is just one part of the activities planned for the Grand Ridge Community Festival. The parade is scheduled for 1 p.m. Registration and the line-up will begin at 11 a.m.
There will be children’s activities from 6pm on Friday in the park and after noon to 3pm in the city centre. The Mackenzie O’Brien Band will provide entertainment from 8-11pm Saturday on the Railroad Avenue stage.
Friday August 19
All day: Ridge Roundup Tractor Show, Burlington Street
8 a.m.: Garage sales throughout the city
Noon to 3 p.m.: Golf cart registration, City Hall, 130 W. Main St. (registration also from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, August 18, at the Town Hall)
6 p.m.: Food truck / children’s activities, Grand Ridge Park
7:30 p.m.: K-9 Demonstration, Grand Ridge Park
Saturday, August 20
7:00 a.m.: Tractor Ridge Registration, Burlington Street
8 a.m.: Tractor ride, lunch included
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: vendors
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Gastronomic fair
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Art Show, Farm Ridge Township Hall, 130 Sylvan Ave.
From noon to 3:00 p.m.: Children’s activities, games, face painting, bounce houses
12:15 p.m.: Magician Rob Thompson
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM: Balloon Twist, Railway Avenue Stage Area
1 p.m.: Water fights, Burlington Avenue
4:30 to 7 p.m.: Streator FFA Pork Chop Dinner, Fire Station, 5 E. Main St.
4:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.: Beer garden in the open air
7 p.m.: Live Auction, Fire Station, 5 E. Main St.
8 to 11 p.m.: Mackenzie O’Brien Band, Railroad Avenue stage
Sunday, August 21
All day: Ridge Roundup Tractor Show, Burlington Avenue
10:15 a.m.: Church service, Grand Ridge Methodist Church, 300 Sylvan Ave.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: vendors
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Gastronomic fair
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Ottawa FFA Pork Chop Luncheon
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Art Show, Farm Ridge Township Hall, 130 Sylvan Ave.
11 a.m.: Registration/parade line-up at the fire station
Noon: Ice cream at Methodist Church, 300 Sylvan Ave.
1 p.m.: Parade, south on Burlington Ave., west on Parkway, north on Sylvan Ave.
2.00 pm: Pedal tractor for children, adults too, railway avenue stage
