The Big Fresno Fair adds new exhibit highlighting the Valley's number-one industry

The Big Fresno Fair kicks off next Wednesday with several new attractions including a towering exhibit which helps tell the story of the valley's number-one industry.

A tractor tree has sprouted in between two real trees next to the Paul Paul Theater. 23 tractors, in fact, have been carefully welded together.

Big Fresno Fair CEO John Alkire explained, "We started this project last November."

Now Alkire was ready to present the sculpture to fairgoers. It's meant to help tell the valley's unique story.

He said, "Tractors have been a big part of our history. We sit in the number one ag producing valley in the world and tractors helped us get to that point."

Kids will be able to go inside the cabs below and watch videos. You'll hear an audio history lesson when you walk by.

It says in part, "Tractors are a big part of our DNA having played a role in our lives, in our story for more than a century."

The exhibit is a tree so the pistons turned upside down serve as low hanging fruit. 3 iconic Fresno scrapers are also featured.

Alkire said, "If you go and look at the end of the Fresno scrapers, there are pedal tractors and that again is like mature fruit."

Alkire was moved to have this built after learning the Smithsonian Museum declared 2018 the year of the tractor.

988 pounds of welding rod was used to create the tractor tree.

He said, "We have parts in here that are like 2 to 3 years old all the way up to 110 years old so went to a lot of graveyards throughout the valley and everyone was so receptive. They said sure, anything you want, take it for the fair."

11 mini-tractors were crafted by retired Fresno state cross-country coach Red Estes. Estes, of course, added a Bulldog to the exhibit.