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With 75 tractor “masks” in hand, organizers of the fifth annual Luverne Tractor Ride are ready for the Friday, Sept. 4 event.
Special to the 2020 event is a white “facial” covering meant to be tied in front of tractors to recognize the coronavirus pandemic.
Quality Printing, Luverne, came up with mask design that features a graphic of a tractor pulling a wagon and the words “Luverne 2020 Tractor Ride.”
Rodger Ossenfort and Ken Vos came up with souvenir facemasks. Previous souvenirs have been flags or stickers.
“Kenny was sitting at coffee and said we should have face masks,” Ossenfort said.
“For our tractors,” Vos finished.
Jerry Mann is also helping with the event’s organization.
Last year 90 tractors participated in the ride that begins at 8:45 a.m.
This year’s destination is Lismore, with tractors taking the back roads to and from the Luverne City Park, where the ride begins and ends. Tractors will stay off the main blacktopped roads where possible.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. with tractor masks given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We don’t know how many will show,” Ossenfort said. “We’ll be down this year.”
To join, tractors must be able to travel 12 miles per hour, have no dual wheels and display a slow moving vehicle sign.
The ride typically ends at about 3 p.m. A buddy seat is required for any passengers.
Social distancing will be emphasized at the noon box lunch gathering at the Lismore City Park and at the ice cream social at the end of the ride at the Luverne City Park.
The ride will take place rain or shine.