Casual Affair - Back to the 50's Show in St. Paul

Yes, it's big, but Back to the '50s is anything but pretentious

Have you found yourself wondering lately whether the custom and hot rod hobby has become a bit too bloated and pompous for its own good? We've got car builders who are television celebrities, owners who fret about the best show at which to "debut" their latest rides, and six-figure customs that are so trick they need to be toted around in $10,000 trailers pulled by $40,000 pickups. It's enough to make you long for the laid-back, carefree days when custom cars were built to drive and events were merely a means for fun and fellowship with your buddies and other like-minded rodders.

That's why we like attending the Minnesota Street Rod Association's huge Back to the '50s show in St. Paul. The atmosphere always seems far more casual than other events, which is probably why it continues to be one of the largest rod, custom, and classic happenings in the country. The number of participating vehicles regularly eclipses 10,000, while 10 times that many spectators typically file through the gates between Friday and Sunday. This year's 33rd annual event, held June 23-25, had an official car count of 11,069.

One reason for such staggering numbers is the populist, wide-open entry policy. Basically, if your car runs, has four wheels, and was originally built before 1965, it's welcome at Back to the '50s. Thus, you not only get to see great street rods and customs, but also various restored classics, trucks, a few vintage sports cars, and even a bunch of plain Jane four-door sedans and other neat old stuff.

Some participants camp in their cars overnight in order to claim particular parking spaces, but the Minnesota State Fairgrounds are so spread out and inviting that it's hard to pinpoint a true "power parking" area. Those who do find the "perfect" spot miss out on one of the event's primary pastimes: cruising. We think Dave Klegin and his pals had the right idea. They would pile into his mild custom, Flathead-powered '50 Ford sedan, cruise for a while, and stop when they found a decent, open parking spot. They'd walk around and check out the cars in that vicinity for a bit, then hop back in the Ford and do some more cruisin' until they found another temporary parking spot. It looked like fun-and a great way to cover the massive fairgrounds without killing your feet.

Besides the overwhelming number of vehicles, Back to the '50s has all the other attractions you'd expect from such an event. There are hundreds of parts vendors, an equal number of craft booths, and food stands offering some of the best fairground vittles around-everything from cheese curds and cheeseburgers, to cinnamon rolls, barbecue sandwiches, and various kinds of meat on sticks. There's also live music on Friday evening, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning, plus regular prize drawings throughout each day. Sunday morning's swap meet ensures that a good number of participants will do some bargain hunting, and maybe even score a new project vehicle before heading for home.

One thing Back to the '50s doesn't have is an awards ceremony. Perhaps the lack of trophies keeps some potential participants and high-profile pro builders away, but the event sure doesn't seem to suffer for it. Instead, it just keeps quietly growing in its own casual, low-key manner. If this laid-back approach sounds good to you, consider attending the 2007 show June 22-24, or visit www.msra.com for more info.