If loud and powerful motors don’t bother you, then you might want to head to Harrison County this weekend, where two different tractor pulls will take place Saturday. The first event takes place in Persia at 1-p.m., Saturday. Tickets sell for $7, with pit passes going for $10. Mike Olson, member of the Persia Fire Department, says they expect to have great participation this year. He says they’re expecting a great crowed and hoping for 70-to 80 tractor pull hooks and about the same number during the garden tractor pull.

The tractors and garden tractors will be performing at the same time on alternate tracks down at the Persia ball diamond. And what would a tractor pull event be without food? Olson says Hussy’s BBQ will serve pulled pork sandwiches. In addition, there will be  hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos.

If a tractor pull isn’t really your thing, Persia will have several other events going on throughout the day. Olson says they’ll have mixed league end of the year softball tournament taking place  all day. There will  also be pig pasture bingo. Tickets are available today (Friday) for $5 a ticket, with the winner getting $300 and good neighbor winning $50. Olsen says there will also be  duck races Saturday. Purchase a duck for $5 a duck. He says they hope to sell 50 of the plastic ducks, with the winner receiving half the money. That event will take place after the tractor pull.

The softball tournament begins at 10am Saturday morning. All proceeds from the Persia Tractor Pull go towards the Persia Fire Department to their equipment fund. Persia isn’t the only one sporting the big engines this weekend.

The Thunder in the Valley Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull will be held later on Saturday afternoon in Dunlap. That event features some of the biggest machines around with Super Farm, Unlimited and Diesel Super Stock and 4-by-4 stock pickups. The Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull will serve food inside their food stand along with a beer garden, and a DJ will entertain with music before and after the event.

Couples can get in for $25, single tickets are $15 and kids 12 and under are will be admitted for $5. The Outlaw Truck and Tractor Pull is in memory of Jason Hoffman who passed away near Dunlap last year in a car accident. A new announcer stand has been built in memory of Jason with his likeness on the back of it. The Dunlap Outlaw Tractor Pull starts at 4-pm Saturday. For more information on the Thunder in the Valley, visit www.outlawpulling.com

(Joel McCall/KNOD)