Tractor parade lights up Linesville

Mike Crowley, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Dec. 3—LINESVILLE — The Linesville Lighted Tractor Parade has 99 tractors and anticipates no problems when engines begin rumbling to life before the 6 p.m. start time today.

"We are all very excited," said Monica Dickey, the Rotary Club member who has led planning efforts for the fourth edition of the event.

Organizers expect about 6,000 spectators to come see the illuminated agricultural machines, some of which are coming from as far as three hours away, according to Dickey. The tiny borough's population was about 956 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The parade culminates a full day of activities in and around the borough. Other opportunities include a meet-and-greet with "Santa-squatch," a Bigfoot-themed holiday character, and Buddy the Elf at Russell's BBQ, 11107 Hartstown Road, from noon until 3 p.m.

Mickle's Barn, 124 Stratton Ave., offers a full slate of options beginning at noon with a walk-thru Christmas display that remains open until 9 p.m., plus a kids' cookie decorating activity from 1 to 3 p.m., a living nativity display from 3 to 5 p.m., a visit from Santa that begins at 5 p.m., and a performance by bell ringers from Linesville United Methodist Church from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Active Aging Inc. will offer $5 sloppy joes at the Lakeland-Valley branch, 237 S. Pymatuning St., from 3 to 5:30 p.m. with a line dancing presentation at 4 p.m. Linesville Volunteer Fire Department, 200 Penn St., will hold a kids pedal tractor pull at 3 p.m.

An interactive map at the Facebook page for The Linesville Tractor Parade offers additional information on parade-related sites, Dickey said.

The parade starts on East Erie Street near the entrance to Conneaut Area Senior High through the borough to the intersection of West Erie Street and Beach Street, a distance of nearly 3/4 of a mile.

Parking is available at First Baptist Church of Linesville, 6114 Route 6; Linesville Spillway,

12318 Hartstown Road; St. Philip Roman Catholic Church, 401 S. Mercer St.; and Active Aging at Lakeland-Valley. Four shuttle buses will run periodically from 2:30 to 9 p.m. Organizers urged parade-goers to be parked by 5 p.m. to attend the parade.

For those unable to attend, the parade will be livestreamed on The Linesville Tractor Parade Facebook page and televised on Armstrong's local programming channels 23 and 100 in central and western Crawford County.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.