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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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Old Threshers takes over Mt. Pleasant
For as far as the eye can see, signs of Old Threshers filled Mt. Pleasant over the long weekend
MT. PLEASANT — Schools let out early, streets closed, and thousands of visitors flocked to Mt. Pleasant beginning Wednesday, Aug. 28 as the 2024 Midwest Old Threshers Reunion kicked off with the traditional Harvest Day Parade featuring glimpses into the reunion, familiar faces, and plenty of candy.
This year’s Harvest Day Parade featured the very familiar faces of Jim and Marlene DePriest as the Grand Marshals.
The DePriests have functioned as important people for the reunion for a number of years thanks to their dedicated work with the Mt. Pleasant High School Music Program as band and choir directors for multiple decades. Jim and Marlene led the band each year as they kicked off the reunion at opening ceremonies with music accompanied by the color guard.
While the DePriests retired at the end of the 2022-2023 school year, the Mt. Pleasant High School Marching Band continues to be an important part of starting off the long reunion weekend. Under the direction of Brad Cook, the band continues the tradition of marching in the Harvest Day Parade, assisting in the presentation of the colors, and performing to open up the Old Threshers Festivities.
Other familiar faces throughout the Harvest Day Parade included enthusiastic birthday boys, Sweet Sixteen contestants, friends, neighbors, and local businesses.
John Ita, who received the Legendary Customer Service Award from Hy-Vee during last year’s Old Threshers Reunion, happily donned his red Hy-Vee polo as he walked the parade route Wednesday afternoon greeting his neighbors and loyal customers.
Two boys named Landon and Jack waved enthusiastically as they passed by on floats boasting of their birthdays which they planned to spend at the reunion.
Trolley after trolley filled with Old Threshers Sweet Sixteen contestants also made their way along the parade route among horses, tractors, steam engines, and other sites from the reunion. The gunslingers resisted the urge to rob anyone as they road in the parade, and the saloon ladies showed off their garters along with wide grins as they passed by.
Those watching the parade ate it up.
Hayden McPherson said he especially enjoyed watching his grandfather Bill Thele pass by, and couldn’t wait to go with his brother Liam McPherson to check out all the tractors, steam engines, and trains at the reunion this year.
By the end of the parade the McPherson brothers weren’t the only ones wearing wide grins filled with excitement for the reunion. Children walked away with bags filled to the bring with candy, and the same eagerness for their chance to drive a tractor, watch the saloon ladies dance, and witness a train robbery first hand on the Old Threshers grounds.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
