BERNARDSTON — Sitting atop his 1972 Manoray Ariens tractor, 88-year-old Erwin “Bud” Streeter rolled around the grounds of the 41st annual Gas Engine Show and flea market shouting “raffle tickets!”
Three children riding on the back of Streeter’s “jitney” joined in, creating a chorus of “raffle tickets” that was only interrupted by the putt-putt of engines and Streeter’s horn, which he honked when he recognized a passerby.
Plus, every once in a while, Streeter would point out cars and tractors he liked, reciting their years, makes and models. When it came time to stop to exchange money for raffle tickets, he’d hand over the green ticket stubs and joke, without fail, “Put your grocery list on here and you won’t spend much money.”
Streeter is undeniably a familiar face at the Gas Engine Show, which he started with help from Russell Deane and his cousin Ernie Streeter in 1976. He’s come back for all but one of the 41 years, and has brought his tractor for 15.
“I had no idea,” Streeter said when asked if he thought the show would grow to its modern-day size, attracting 100 vendors and as many as 10,000 people. Streeter recalls there being only 12 gas engines in 1976.
The show, a fundraiser for the United Church of Bernardston, was inspired by the Rough & Tumble Engineers Museum of Kinzers, Pa., which Streeter visited for 18 years.
Though he enjoys perusing the collection each year and has a particular fondness for steam engines, in Streeter’s eyes there’s only one “jitney.”
“There’s not many of them around,” he said of his only tractor. “I haven’t seen another one like it.”
The “jitney” is adored by children too, who look forward to Streeter taking them for rides.
“We get to ride in Uncle Bud’s jitney, and that’s a big deal,” said Danielle Andersen, of Orange, who sat next to her 5-year-old son, Dawson, in Streeter’s wagon. As fellow members of the United Church of Bernardston, the Andersens call Streeter “Uncle Bud.”
“I get to see all types of tractors and engines,” Dawson added.
The Andersens have been coming to the Gas Engine Show for three years, and decided to come as vendors in 2017, selling herbs, flutes and drums.
“People sell all kinds of stuff,” Dawson said.
“You can see so many things,” Andersen agreed.
One such vendor was John Peters of Colrain Country Critters, who has been coming to the Gas Engine Show and flea market for more than 25 years to sell rabbits, chickens, ducks and guinea pigs. For Peters, he loves the social aspect, as well as getting to see the joy on children’s faces as he lets them pet the rabbits.
“(I enjoy) just meeting so many people,” he said. “I have a lot of people to visit with.”
And of course, Streeter says the event keeps tractor and engine enthusiasts bragging about it.
“I met one fellow who was from 100 miles away,” Streeter said. “Some people, I bet, come from more than that.”
No matter how many years it continues, Streeter said he’ll never grow tired of the Gas Engine Show.
You can reach Shelby Ashline at: sashline@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 257