ESCANABA – The U.P. Steam & Gas Engine Association Show begins today at the U.P. State Fairgrounds and runs through Labor Day.

Association president Skip Dufour says this year they will feature Sheppard Diesel, a rare tractor that is attracting enthusiasts from all over the country.

“Sheppard Diesel was a short lived company. You don’t see a lot of these when you go to shows so what we did this year was to have a national Sheppard Diesel show,” Dufour said. “There probably won’t be a lot of tractors. There might be 20 or 30 Sheppard Diesels that will come but that’s going to be a lot because there aren’t a lot left.”

Dufour said Sheppard Diesel tractors will be coming from Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Dakota and Oregon. The tractors this year will be on display on the midway of the fairgrounds to allow for more tractors at the show.

“We were getting cramped in that corner of the fairgrounds and what we found is that some of the guys coming in would limit themselves to one or two tractors because they didn’t have any available space. By moving that out to the front area we are able to open it up,” said Dufour.

The flea market will be moved to the southeast corner of the fairgrounds where the tractors used to be.

A tractor parade will be held each day at 1 p.m. New this year is a tractor pull at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Along with the Steam & Gas Engine Village, there will be an Appaloosa horse show, gun and knife show, the DNR pocket park will be open and there will even be helicopter rides.

The 39th annual show runs from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday.