The 50th anniversary of the Back to the Fifties Weekend car show in St. Paul, Minnesota, is not just a milestone but a journey through history. This Golden Jubilee, a term that symbolizes strength, wisdom, and prosperity, is a fitting tribute to the enduring legacy of the Minnesota Street Rod Association (MSRA), a cornerstone of the automotive community since its founding in 1967. The event occurred on June 21-23, 2024, marking a half-century of celebrating classic cars and connecting us to our rich past.
Although EG Nation couldn’t make it to the event this year, the Edelbrock Group trailer was there to show off our products and talk with customers to answer any questions. WD and International Account Salesman Bill Garner and Technical Sales and Support Specialist Nobel Del Mar were on hand to help support the trailer crew. Nobel gave us the photos you’ll see in this article.
A Stroll Down Memory Lane
The MSRA Back to the Fifties Weekend is a nostalgic journey to an era defined by rock ‘n’ roll, poodle skirts, and, most importantly, iconic automobiles. What started in 1974 as a little get-together of 125-150 cars at the Midway Shopping Center with a cruise to Porkys Drive-In has now grown into one of the largest registered car shows in the nation, taking over the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
The event showcases over 11,000 street rods, customs, classics, and restored vehicles from 1964 and earlier. From gleaming chrome to meticulously maintained interiors, these cars are a testament to the enduring appeal of the 1930s through the 1960s.
Back to the Fifties Activities and Highlights
Back to the Fifties is packed with automotive goodness at every turn if you know where to look. On the MSRA Back to the Fifties website, the club provides a visitor’s guide with all the weekend’s happenings. Now, there are some advertisements, but it is 70 pages filled with almost everything you might need to know, including the ever-important event schedule!
Classic Car Displays
Naturally, the primary purpose of Back to the Fifties is the impressive array of vintage vehicles on display all around the grounds. It’s difficult to explain how massive the Minnesota State Fairgrounds is; it is practically a town within a city. Every nook and cranny is filled with painted metal and chrome, so make sure you have some good walking shoes!
Attendees can wander for hours through rows upon rows of meticulously restored and modified vehicles, each with its own unique story. Whether you’re a die-hard car enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates beautiful craftsmanship, the car show offers something for everyone. It’s virtually impossible to see everything.
Swap Meet, Vendors, and Classic Car Marketplace
The swap meet is a treasure trove of rare finds for those looking to buy, sell, or trade car parts, memorabilia, and vintage items. Swap vendors from across the country set up shop, offering everything from hard-to-find car parts to retro clothing and collectibles. It’s an excellent opportunity to hunt for that elusive piece needed to complete a restoration project or to pick up a unique souvenir for your cave. Or, if you didn’t want to build your car one part at a time, you could just buy one already finished in the Marketplace!
The Cruise-N-Art & Collector Gallery features over 80 artisans and crafters who create and sell just about anything you can imagine. The Collector Alley is a collector’s dream. Whether it is vintage petroliana, LPs, coins, toys, movie posters, sports, and more, it was the place to peruse the aisles.
Commercial vendors from every facet of the automotive industry and beyond are primarily concentrated in the Grandstand area and the Progress Center, but many are located around the grounds. Edelbrock Group had the big rig centrally situated on the corner of Randall Avenue and Cooper Street.
Entertainment
No celebration of the 1950s would be complete without rock ‘n’ roll and tribute bands. The event features live music performances from bands that capture the era’s spirit. Attendees can dance to the tunes of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, and other rock ‘n’ roll legends.
For Back to the Fifties 2024, MSRA had the Dixieland Pickup Band playing happy music as they paraded around the fairgrounds on the back of (you guessed it) a pickup truck. Friday night on the Bandshell Stage, they had the comedy duo of In Capable Hands opening for Richie Lee and the Fabulous 50s. Mitchell Hall and the Tennessee Trio performed their world-class tribute to Johnny Cash on Saturday night.
There are also contests, such as a model car contest, Pinup Girl competition, kids pedal tractor pull, and other fun activities that bring the spirit of the 50s to life. The Ladies Showcase in the North End Events Center had activities all weekend long geared for women (in case they’d had enough of their significant others standing around talking about cars). From music to cooking classes and various seminars, it was easy to get away from cars if you wanted.
Last but not least, Richard Petty was the special guest for a meet-and-greet between 1:30 and 3:30 on Saturday. He even stopped by the Petty Garage trailer for a few minutes. Nobel told us that the line was extremely long to get his autograph. Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough time to wait in line on his breaks from the EG trailer to get his John Hancock.
MSRA and NSRA Safety Inspection
The National Street Rod Association and the Minnesota Street Rod Association believe in driving street rods safely. Both associations use the NSRA’s vehicle safety inspection program, a 24-point checklist of required equipment in working order. Cars eligible for awards must have a completion sticker on the windshield. MSRA held safety inspections during Back to the Fifties on Friday and Saturday from 9:00 to 3:00. Members and non-members could have a safety inspection performed to ensure their car was in good working order.
MSRA Start Cart and Michigan Hot Rod Repair Shop
If you’re going to drive your hot rod or street rod, things are going to happen while on the road. Maybe you forgot to turn off your electric fan, left the dome light on, had a slow tire leak, or ran out of gas while cruising the grounds. The MSRA Start Cart is a group of volunteers who will help you get back on the road. For those with more significant issues, the Michigan Hot Rod Repair Shop has been helping travelers since 1972 with its repair trailer. They work with NAPA Auto Parts to deliver parts directly to the fairgrounds. It’s an excellent service for those who break down on the road!
Nobel’s Back to the Fifties Experience
Nobel Del Mar is one of the newest Sales Techs at the Edelbrock Group. Back to the Fifties was his first time to man the trailer (he’s previously worked the pop-up tent at Battle in Bama; see that article here). He says the MSRA event was the largest car show he’s ever attended by far. He couldn’t believe how massive the fairgrounds complex was, and he got lost a couple of times while venturing out to take photos.
Nobel said leaving the parking lot and walking into the fairgrounds was like stepping back in time. The Minnesota State Fairgrounds have many permanent structures from the period, and it is easy to feel that way with cars of the same era parked all over the place. Nobel says it rained on and off Friday and Saturday, but it didn’t seem to affect the turnout.
The variety of vehicles was his favorite aspect of the show. He saw everything from fire trucks to rat rods to pickups and race cars. However, two of the vehicles he saw stood out as his favorites. The first was a green handmade UTE, while the second was a Hillman wagon with a turbocharged Ecotec engine swap. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the owners’ names, but we must agree that these were two pretty cool rides based on his photos!
While working at the trailer, he said the most asked questions were about EFI, whether it was the Edelbrock Pro-Flo or FAST systems. He was also asked several times if catalogs were available online. We’ll answer that for you here. All of the catalogs for EG brands can be found online here. Also, EG is in the process of updating some of the catalogs, with the newest available one being Russell.
Conclusion
If you own a pre-1964 vehicle (or like seeing them), Back to the Fifties is one car show to put at the top of your bucket list. It is one of the largest shows in the nation. It also takes place in one of the most incredible locations, and the weather is usually cooler than in the rest of the states in June. The 51st annual Back to the Fifties will be June 20-22, 2025. Maybe we’ll see you there!
