The Cleveland Farm Toy Show is an annual event in Cleveland, Mississippi, that brings together collectors and enthusiasts to buy, sell, and trade vintage and modern farm toys, including tractors, trucks, and RC models. It features vendors, displays, and handmade items at the Bolivar County Expo Center. It’s a family-friendly event where people can relive memories and see detailed farm scenes, with proceeds supporting local initiatives like FFA (Future Farmers of America) and offering a fun experience.
In its thirteenth season, The Cleveland Farm Toy Show got its start in Clarksdale, Mississippi, which was inspired by a show in Memphis, Tennessee.
“This is a hobby I’ve had for a long time,” shared Blake Andrews, owner and director of the Cleveland Farm Toy Show. “I did it with my parents and my grandparents. And when the previous show promoter decided it was time to hang it up, I came along and decided I wanted to do it.”
Many children, especially in agricultural communities like those in the Mississippi Delta, grow up “carpet farming,” a beloved imaginative play activity where children use toy farm equipment, often on a carpet or rug, to mimic real-life farming operations. The nostalgia is one reason people of all ages will drive from all over to attend, hoping to find a piece left out of their collection or take home something timeless for the children in their lives.
“People from Mississippi to Arkansas, Louisiana, even from Texas and farther away,” shared Andrews.
Collectors and children aren’t the only fans of Farm Toys. Some who grew up “carpet farming” go on to create works of art, creating highly detailed, often custom-built miniature displays of rural dioramas designed to replicate real-life farming operations, which are then judged at specialized shows. Competition often focuses on creativity, accuracy, and scale, frequently at events like the National Farm Toy Show in Dyersville, Iowa.
“I always grew up carpet farming with out-of-the-box toys from John Deere,” shared Ethan Hildabrand. “My dad and I were looking at the Delta Farm press one night, saw Blake’s Farm Toy Show, and asked to go. I started getting into custom models, and finally, I built my first display.”
Participants who compete with their farm displays rarely use toys directly off the shelf. Instead, they “tweak” toys or hand-build them to create unique, realistic models. Displays are often built in specific scales to provide a realistic replica. Competitors get creative with materials to mimic real farm elements. Winning displays often feature specific, complex agricultural tasks, such as lagoon pumping, harvesting, or robotic feeding systems.
“Whenever I set out to build a display, I like to ride around my farming community between Bentonia and Satarsha, Mississippi, and look at stuff,” shared Hildabrand. “When I get inspired, I’ll take a picture of it, and have that laid out on my table when I display, and provide a story about how it relates to me in real life.”
You don’t have to be a farmer to enjoy these events or dabble in display competitions. It is a fun opportunity for any agricultural enthusiast.
