Can’t wait for all the delicious treats at Homesteader Days, including heirloom pies? Think pancakes!

To kick off the Saturday celebration, the Fraternal Order of Eagles is opening its doors from 8-10 a.m. for an old-fashioned pancake feed, complete with creamy butter and sweet, sticky syrup. If you plan it right, you can walk right out the front door with a full belly onto Clark Street and be smack in the middle of one of Park County’s best car shows of the year.

The Vehicle Visions competition became an annual tradition three years ago, organized by Eagles member Dan Shreeve, and has been one of the top events at Homesteader Days since. Unfortunately, Shreeve is going to miss out on the pancakes while he puts the car show together, he said.

“I’ll be the one running around like crazy getting ready for the show,” he said.

That’s OK — more for the rest of us. Pro tip: Those unwilling to compromise on their favorite brand of syrup may want to sneak in a flask of their favorite mapley topping.

Shreeve is expecting at least 50 vehicles, including classic cars, trucks and motorcycles. One of the cool features of the contest, which offers a total of 17 trophies, is the special plaque awarded to the owner of the vehicle most loved by children attending the show.

This year they’re trying something new: A 50s apparel costume contest. Women, men and children are all invited to dress for the occasion. It’s all part of the Eagles’ goal of raising money for the museum and their national and local charities.

This year the local charities include Downrange Warriors, which raises money to help veterans suffering from mental and emotional trauma, and Wyoming Families For Hands & Voices, which is a parent-driven, nonprofit organization that provides unbiased support to families of deaf and hard of hearing children. They are also hosting a raffle, silent auction and prime-rib sandwich lunch.

Of course, there will be many demonstrations of agricultural machinery churning away, live music by the Rewinders and the Ruby Hopkin commemorative pie auction sponsored by Homesteader Museum. Last year the top pie was made by Tori Hopkin-Gilbert, the granddaughter of Powell’s famed pie-maker Ruby Hopkin, who passed away in 2019.

The lemon meringue pie — looking more like a work of art than dessert — went for $360.

The museum brought in about $3,500 from the event in 2022, their largest fundraising event of the year. This is the 12th anniversary of the event that surrounds the Homesteader Museum with bustling steam tractors, early pioneer demonstrations, artisan vendors and fills downtown Powell with live music. The museum is celebrating its 55th anniversary, founded in 1968.