SYCAMORE – See how farm work was done in years past this weekend at the 56th annual Sycamore Steam Show and Threshing Bee.

The annual show, put on by the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club, starts Thursday, Aug. 9 and lasts through Sunday, Aug. 12. The steam show features a display of more than 275 gas engines, as well as a display of old cars and farm equipment. But for many visitors, the real thrill is seeing the big machines in action.

“We love the opportunity to explain the old equipment and a little bit of the lifestyle that existed in the 1900s through 1950s era,” club president Dan Kocher said.