The J.F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center is seeking barbed wire collectors and DeKalb history enthusiasts to exhibit during September’s Barb City’s Barbed Wire Weekend.
In September the Homestead will host a barbed wire exposition show in coordination with the Antique Barbed Wire Society, and other community-wide events, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Joseph F. Glidden’s “The Winner” patent, the most widely-used barbed wire in the world.
The barbed wire exposition show will be held Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29, from 9 am to 4 pm at Northern Illinois University’s Altgeld Hall ballroom. Barbed wire collectors from across the country will exhibit their barbed wire collections for the public to enjoy. Museums will share local history through displays and hands-on exhibits, including DeKalb history and the barbed wire story.
Interested collectors and historians are encouraged to bring barbed wire, fencing tools, hands-on history, and more to display. Exhibitor tables are $25 each for 6-foot tables. Free-standing display space is also available. Vendor setup is Friday, September 27 in the afternoon.
For more information about Barbed Wire Weekend and to register for table space, visit www.BarbedWireWeekend.com, email jessi@gliddenhomestead.org or call 815-756-7904.
Admission to the show is $5 for adults, children under 14 years of age are free. Proceeds from admissions and table rentals support the J.F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center, a nonprofit museum dedicated to sharing the story of Glidden, barbed wire, and preserving the barn and home both listed on the National Register of Historic Places.