CHARLESTON - Last year, members of the Oliver Hart-Parr Collectors Club visited the annual antique farm equipment show at the Coles County Fairground.

"They liked what they saw," said Jim Anderson, president of the East Central Illinois Antique Farm Equipment Club that hosts the Coles County show.

Consequently, the Oliver Hart-Parr club has arranged to hold its 2005 Summer Expo in conjunction with the East Central Illinois club's seventh annual show. These two shows are scheduled today through Sunday at the fairground in Charleston.

Activities will include displays of antique farm equipment, wheat threshing demonstrations, a tractor parade and children's and antique tractor pulls. There also will be a flea market, food vendors, inflatable children's games, and live country music. Entry to the fairground and activities will be free.

The East Central Illinois club's July 2004 show was held in conjunction with the International Harvester Collectors Club's Southern Summer Expo. Anderson said the local club's shows are getting more and more recognition from statewide antique tractor organizations.

"We do have a nice place here at the fairgrounds to put the shows on," Anderson said, thanking the fairgrounds board for its assistance.

Farm equipment displays, flea market booths and food vendors will be out today through Sunday. Wheat for the threshing demonstrations was recently bound with the help of Tim Marshall of Newton at a field across from the fairgrounds. There will also be tractor games when feasible, plus demonstrations by a blacksmith and Master Gardeners.

Jerry Thomas, who organizes the antique tractor pulls, said this event typically attracts 90 to 120 pullers per year from Illinois and other states.

"Last year we had a guy from Georgia pull in it," Thomas said. "You never know where they are going to come from."

Other scheduled activities include performances by the Shelbyville-area country band Battle Creek from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, church services at 9 a.m. Sunday, and a parade at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Rob Stroud can be reached at rstroud@;jg-tc.com or 348-5734.