Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Dallas, NC (WNN)- The Cotton Ginning Days festival, Gaston County's largest annual event, celebrated its 38th year from October 10 to 12. This three-day celebration drew thousands of visitors who came to celebrate the County's rich textile heritage.
Taking place at the Gaston County Park, the festival always runs on the 2nd weekend in October. It is organized through a collaboration between the Gaston County Parks & Recreation Department and the Gaston Agriculture, Mechanical & Textile Restoration Association (GAMTRA). This collaboration has enabled the festival to grow into the largest in the county, with annual attendance exceeding 25,000.
Those in attendance had the opportunity to see historic engines and farming equipment in action. This included live demonstrations of machinery, including an operational 1900 single-stand, Continental Cotton Gin. GAMTRA bought, relocated, and restored to working order—as well as antique steam and gasoline engines and tractors. GAMTRA members operated the machinery, demonstrating its operation and explaining how it impacted local farming, while answering questions from attendees.
One of the many types of machinery included a 1920 Fairbanks-Morse Diesel Engine with 37.5 horsepower. According to GAMTRA member Jacob Hovis, the engine originated in the southern end of Gaston County. "When the club formed and started this festival, they went and drug it out of the woods and got it together. Now we just run it to pull the cotton gin upstairs."
The 1920 Fairbanks-Morse Diesel Engine on display. October 11th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
GAMTRA members keep the engine running in the mornings. All they have to do is sit and ensure it does not run hot and has oil in it. Hovis says it's a major attraction of the festival, as it makes a lot of noise and has numerous moving parts.
There was something for everyone to enjoy at the festival. They included rides for kids, such as a merry-go-round, swings, and slides. There were also Handmade craft vendors throughout the area, displaying their work, which included handmade toys, tumblers, puzzles, and laser art, among many other items.
Crochet toys on display at the Cotton Ginning Days festival. October 11th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
There was also live music at the amphitheater located by the lake. If you know anything about North Carolina festivals, you know they wouldn't feel complete without folk music playing. Four talented musicians added a traditional Western feel to the festival, making it even more lively.
Lastly, food trucks were in attendance, selling various items, including hamburgers, shrimp, catfish, Ice cream, and even cotton candy. Attendees had no way to leave the event hungry.
During the festival, visitors also had the opportunity to get a closer look at local history. The Gaston County park is home to The Heritage Village. A historic area that showcases and explains the county's textile history. The park was gifted an old mule barn. The master plan for the Parks and Recreation Board had called for a historic area, and the GAMTRA organization had begun a very successful Cotton Ginning Days program.
The mule barn donated to the Gaston County Park in 1996. October 11th, 2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
Over time, more buildings were added to the area, causing the plan to evolve. It features a cotton farmer's house, a blacksmith shop, a chapel, a schoolhouse, and much more. The overall idea behind the park was to provide a space where people could step back in time and experience what life was like in Gaston County during the late 1800s.
The Cotton Farmer's House located at the Gaston County Park. October 11th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
Back in the day, cotton farmers mostly worked on rented land as tenant farmers or sharecroppers, depending heavily on the weather to make a living. Farm families took care of themselves by raising animals and growing their own food, while also lending a hand to neighbors throughout the year. With no electricity or indoor plumbing in the countryside, they relied on oil lamps, wells, and wood stoves. Children were expected to pitch in with work in the fields and gardens as well.
Leafy greens that can be seen at the heritage garden. October 11th,2025
Lauren Ramsey (WNN)
As time went on, these farms evolved into small villages and close-knit communities, complete with blacksmith shops, schools, stores, and churches to serve the farming families. The annual Cotton Ginning Days festival, along with Heritage Village, offers visitors a chance to appreciate the hard work and dedication that shaped life before modern technology took over.
For more information and to explore the inside of each building, click here.
The Cotton Ginning Days festival is an excellent tribute to Gaston County's rich farming heritage and the strong sense of community that exists here. Every year, families come together not just to see machines in operation, but also to reconnect with the traditions that helped shape the County.
As organizers and volunteers prepare for the next festival, they invite everyone to learn, celebrate, and appreciate the hard work and creativity that continues to shape Gaston County.
If you would like more information about the festival or are interested in joining GAMTRA, go to www.cottonginningdays.org or call: 704-913-4672
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