HAYDEN — The Hayden Historical Museum will combine Pioneer Days with Hayden’s Harvest Past on Sept. 2, making it a double feature of the Jennings County community’s biggest day of the year.

The event will be held on the museum’s property from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with events throughout the day.

The first event will be the annual Luke Elsner Memorial 5K Run/Walk at Hayden Elementary School. Registration is at 7 a.m., and the race will begin at 8 a.m.

Proceeds from the event will go into the scholarship endowment fund that was established with the Jennings County Community Foundation in memory of Luke Elsner, the 2-year-old son of Andy and Amber Elsner who died in 2007 from a heart ailment.

Hayden United Methodist Church will be serving breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. in the social hall. Breakfast will be available in exchange for a freewill donation.

The Hayden Historical Museum buildings, including the Sullivan Blacksmith Shop, 1947 Sinclair gas station and A Place Called Yesterday, will open at 9 a.m. along with the museum grounds, where many of the pioneer-related exhibits and demonstrations will be on display throughout the day.

There will be no entry fees, judging or prizes for anyone bringing a tractor. The tractors do not have to be in showroom condition, as this event is held to provide an informal opportunity for all tractor owners to be part of the show.

The museum will be holding its pie baking contest again this year as part of the festivities. Contestants can bring one or more fruit pies to be judged to the museum kitchen any time between 9 and 11 a.m.

Judging will begin at 11 a.m., and the pies will be graded on appearance and taste. Awards will be given for first-, second- and third-place pies.

Volunteer auctioneer Tom Lawson will auction off the top three pies at noon in the pavilion. Everyone is welcome to bid on the prize-winning pies. All other pie entries will be sliced and offered in exchanged for a freewill donation.

The Spencer Township Volunteer Fire Department will begin serving its barbecue chicken dinners at noon. The dinners include half a chicken, two sides, a dinner roll and a drink for $10. Carryout orders will be available.

The Scattertack Band will start off with musical entertainment at 10:30 a.m., performing in the pavilion and after the pie auction at noon. The Star Promenaders will square dance until 2 p.m. Lastly, a group of musicians and singers have formed a Tim Miles tribute band and will be on the pavilion stage at 2:30 p.m.

The Kovener’s Korner ice cream truck will be parked between the old gas station and the Ed Whitcomb house selling sweet treats at 11:30 a.m.

In the exhibit area of the museum, there will be a special photograph exhibit that will feature 45 pictures of some of the past tractor show participants.

Parking is free and available at the museum property and nearby fields. Jennings County High School FFA members will assist in getting everyone in and out of the parking lots. Two shuttle wagons will be running between the museum, blacksmith shop and fire station throughout the day.

This is a free event, but the museum hopes visitors will consider dropping a donation in one of the containers at the old gas station, A Place Called Yesterday, inside the museum or at the pie stand in the pavilion.

To get the complete schedule or for information, contact the Hayden Historical Museum at 812-592-8445 or email [email protected]. Event information also is on the Hayden Historical Museum’s Facebook page.