The 23rd edition of the WHO Great Iowa Tractor Ride is coming to Council Bluffs from Sunday, June 23 to Wednesday, June 26. The ride is organized by WHO news radio 1040 in Des Moines.
The tractor ride brings in antique tractors and their drivers from across Iowa and a few other states. Each year they get together in a different part of Iowa. Each day of the ride, they take out their tractors on a different route, exploring their host town.
This is the ride’s first time coming to Council Bluffs. They’ll be staying at Westfair Fairgrounds and Amphitheater along with making treks through the Loess Hills and around Pottawattamie County.
Susan Matthews, finance specialist with iHeartMedia (parent company of WHO) helps organize the ride and takes part in it every year.
“I’m excited to see the Loess Hills, Carstens 1880 Farmstead in Shelby, and Arrowhead Park,” Matthews said of the upcoming trip to Council Bluffs.
Locals are invited out to view the 350 to 400 antique tractors at Westfair or along the ride’s daily routes.
“In the past, we’ve had some families/children on the side of the road(s) waiving at the riders or some have come in the morning to watch the groups leaving,” Matthews said.
Locals can check out the routes the tractors will take each day of their stay on the WHO Tractor Ride Blog as well as the times they will be departing to and arriving at each location. All of the tractors can be seen by the public in the mornings at Westfair before their departures.
“It is really quite a site to see all of the groups of tractors,” Matthews said. “We have all colors, sizes & makes of tractors (and riders for that matter).”
The public can also attend the ride's antique tractor and farm toy auction at Westfair on Monday, June 24. Visit our calendar for more details.
