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Take a 320 acre State Fairgrounds and fill it to capacity with 12,000 pre-1965 show cars, 450 vendors, car auctions, live bands, a massive swap meet and more greasy food than you can shake a stick at… and what do you have? The Minnesota Street Rod Associations incredible “Back to the 50s” car show.
Born and raised in the Midwest, the BTT50s show had always been a local event for me, and one of the highlights of my summer. Now that I have moved a couple thousand miles away to the Pacific Northwest the event is anything but local, but it’s one I will continue to attend as there is nothing else like it. The mature State Fairgrounds in St. Paul, MN are the most beautiful I have ever encountered, and once you fill them with 12,000 show cars it become an amazing spectacle. Cars line both sides of the streets winding through the grounds, but the middle of the lanes are left for cruising, and that is exactly what people do non-stop for 3 days. The fact that people cruise brings the show to life, versus just having cars on static display… You get to hear, feel and even smell the cars. The best part is when you get tired of walking you can grab some cheese curds and a milk shake, sit under a shade tree and let the card come to you… it’s amazing.
If you have a bucket list of car shows to attend, make sure the MSRA’s “Back to the 50s” show is on there. I’d suggest putting it on top, as it is truly as good as it gets. Hope to see you there next year!
To see even more of the great vehicles at this exceptional show, head to Hot Rod Hotline, and check out the rest of the show coverage!
