BISHOP HILL – Bishop Hill’s annual 19th century harvest festival Jordbruksdagarna (pronounced yord-brooks-DAH-ga-na) will take place Saturday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Sept. 30. As always, there will be a variety of traditional craft demonstrations, food, vendors, and hands-on activities for the children all over the village during the 47th Jordbruksdagarna (Swedish for “earth work days”) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. 

Besides the usual activities, there are some new additions to this year’s Ag Days. On Saturday only, two vintage baseball games will be played between the Springfield Long Nine and the Chicago Salmon, with the first game starting at 11:30 a.m. at the baseball diamond. Playing under mid-19th century baseball rules, this grudge match should be fun to watch. In addition, the musical duet Mockingbird will perform from 1-3 p.m. behind the Bjorklund Hotel. Using their guitar, ukulele, and voices, this duet from Galesburg performs a mix of old-time blues, swing, and bluegrass. Historian, author and actor Brian “Fox” Ellis, in character as John Deere, will cover a century of agricultural history at 11 a.m. at the park gazebo. Raising issues such as the pros and cons of agriculture versus agribusiness, the roles of technology and mechanization, and the significance of small family farms, centennial farms and community-supported agriculture, this program promises to engage the audience in a complex conversation about the direction the ongoing efforts to feed the world might take. All of these performances are free and open to the public.

On Sunday only at 11 a.m., Johan Johansson will be performing a concert at the Steeple Building Museum Johan is a Swedish singer and songwriter from Uppsala. He will be singing songs about Swedish history. This concert is free and open to the public. At 4 p.m., the BHHA will be conducting a public dedication of the Spets Stuga, a children’s playhouse with a pioneer theme. The Spets Stuga is located at 404 North Erickson Street. After the dedication, light refreshments will be served in the Dairy Building. 

On both Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m., a Storyteller’s Tour of Bishop Hill by Brian “Fox” Ellis will start at the Commons. Hear the touching, tragic, and inspiring stories of the immigrants who created this Utopia on the Prairie. Weaving quotes from the founders with Swedish folk tunes, this tour is both educational and entertaining. Suggested donation of $10 for adults and $5 for children. 

For more details about these or other Jordbruksdagarna activities, call (309) 927-3899, email bhha@mymctc.net or visit online at www.bishophillheritage.org.

Jordbruksdagarna is sponsored by the Bishop Hill Heritage Association, Bishop Hill State Historic Site, Bishop Hill Arts Council, Old Settler’s Association. VASA National Archives, Bishop Hill Volunteer Fire Department and numerous local businesses, with the assistance of many volunteers. The event is also partly funded by the, Illinois Art Council Agency, Nelson Farm Service, State Bank of Toulon, TerraForm Power, Bill and Susan Sherrard Foundation, and the Henry County Independent Insurance Agents Association.