By Kirsten Ballard

Staff Writer

One tractor, two tractor, red tractor, blue tractor: The main strip of Robbins rumbles as the Tractor Parade will make the slow and steady way through the heart of town at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4.

With more than 125 individual entries, the parade grows yearly.

The machines are fantastic in their own right, a piece of history with the antique tractors.

"There is a tremendous amount of history," says event organizer Shorty Brown. He recalls one tractor "from 1917, the oldest thing I've ever had in the parade."

"What's really neat is the family part," says Brown. His 20-year-old daughter, Kayla Brown, remembers -riding the tractor with her dad.

"He wouldn't let me drive," says Kayla Brown. Now she drives a tractor in the parade all by herself.

"It is a family event," says Brown.

Shorty Brown, a member of the fire department, sorts out registration, judging and other points of the event with his wife, Tobe, and daughter, Kayla.

Seeing the line of tractors is very impressive.

Brown stresses the -importance of safety and awareness of the event.

"It is dangerous. We have to keep everyone under control and spaced out," says Brown.

Not a perfect system, the parade has seen many -breakdowns. However, Brown laughs them off as part of the experience.

"Eight to 80, blind, crippled or crazy. Anybody can ride," says Brown with a chuckle.

"It is an experience to ride through on a tractor," says Kayla Brown. She enjoys bringing friends down to experience Farmers Day. "Most of them have never been on a tractor."

The tractor parade is a must-see event of Farmers Day.

"Many of the tractors were bought new in the 1940s and '50s and passed down from generation to generation; it is a family event," says Brown.

Children lead the parade on pedal tractors followed by a long line of antique, rumbling tractors slowly making their way through town.

Some of the tractors have been restored, but tractor -riders keep their rig au -naturel. The judging is based on originality of the tractor by the mystery judges. Tractor parade trophies will be -presented on the Railroad Stage at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Registration to ride ends Saturday at 2 p.m.

Brown makes a certain note to thank the participants. "It is a lot of work to get the -tractors here. The fire department and I appreciate it."