The public and customers of Mid-State Equipment will join the company in marking its fourth decade in business at an expanded one-day event, the Mid-State Equipment Expo 2014.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. January 22 at the Alliant Energy Center, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, in Madison, Wis. Admission and parking are free.

"We’re celebrating 40 years as a family-owned and operated business, so that’s one of the reasons we wanted to make this a really big event,” said Beth Halverson, marketing and advertising coordinator for Mid-State Equipment.

Mid-State Equipment has 7 locations throughout Wisconsin and offers a line of equipment and rental equipment to serve lawn and garden needs, agricultural needs and construction and building needs. The company also offers a line of rental equipment.

The company, founded by Curt and Linda Hanson and now owned by their children, Chris Frodel and Brian Hanson, is a John Deere dealership. John Deere will be just one of the featured brands at the expo.

“This is our first year at Alliant Energy Center. We have over 500,000 square feet that we get to work with, so we want to give everyone a chance to see all the products that we offer,” Halverson said.

That means that attendees can view equipment from dealers such as John Deere, Bobcat, Kuhn and Kuhn/Knight, Landoll and Brillion, Haybuster, J&M and Wacker.

“People think we’re solely a John Deere dealership, but we carry other lines that can maximize what farmers and landowners are doing and are planning to do on their operations,” Halverson said.

That includes showing lines of rental equipment and precision farming technology.

Mid-State Equipment representatives will be on hand, as well as factory representatives.

“People will really have a chance to climb into the different equipment, sit in the seat, see what it’s like and have their questions answered,” Halverson said.

For those who want more information on selected topics, breakout sessions will be at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 1 and 2 p.m.

Sessions on sprayers and spray equipment, precision technology, planters and drills and Tier 4 tractors will be conducted, and most sessions will run concurrently at each time slot.

People who attend the show will be registered to win a John Deere X300 lawn tractor. Showgoers need not be present to win.

Mid-State Equipment has locations in Columbus, Jackson, Janesville, Prairie du Sac, Salem and Watertown.