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131st annual Plowing Match and Festival

The 131st annual Plowing Match and Festival in Big Rock is a long-standing community tradition featuring a blend of agricultural history and modern carnival entertainment. Held at the Big Rock Park District grounds, the event brings together multi-generational families for a weekend of carnival rides, a community bike parade, craft shows, and local food vendors.

Date
Sep 18-20, 2026
Location
Big Rock
Status
Recently ended
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131st annual Plowing Match and Festival

Event summary

Highlights

  • Friday evening community bike parade
  • Multi-generational plowing competitions and legacy families
  • Carnival rides, craft tents, and food vendors
  • Sunday mud volleyball tournament
This historic festival is organized by the Big Rock Plowing Match Association and celebrates a legacy of farming that spans four and five generations of local plowmen and women. The festivities typically begin on a Friday evening with a community bike parade where children ride toward the festival site. Throughout the weekend, the grounds offer a variety of attractions including an auction, craft tents, and a new adult axe throwing event.

While the signature plowing matches are the namesake of the event, organizers utilize pavilions and indoor spaces to ensure activities like the Sunday church service and public auctions continue even during inclement weather. Other notable activities include a mud volleyball tournament on Sunday and various musical performances. The event serves as a central social gathering for the Big Rock area, focusing on family-oriented fun and the preservation of local agricultural heritage.

Practical details

Before attending

Check the sources below for current opening times, admission prices and registration requirements. A date range does not mean the event runs continuously or that admission is free.

Sources and further information

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Location map

Approximate area only; exact venue coordinates are not confirmed.

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