A steam fair or (steam rally) is a regular organised gathering of historic steam-powered vehicles and machinery, open to the public. Typical exhibits include: traction engines, steam rollers, steam wagons, and steam cars. Often, the scope is widened to include other historic exhibits such as stationary engines, internal-combustion -powered road transport, agricultural and construction vehicles, working horses, woodcraft and the like.
A typical steam fair consists of:
- A parade ring or track in which vehicles may be demonstrated
- Trade and craft stalls related to the exhibits
- Areas where vehicles may be examined more closely and the public may talk to owners and operators
- Entertainment areas (often, a beer tent) with food, drink, and evening music
- A fairground area may also be included in the event
The following is a geographic list of these gatherings, some of which are referred to as rallies or as festivals. The list does not include static steam museums unless they host a particular event that falls into the classification.
In addition there are some travelling shows powered by steam. Where these are referred to as steam fairs they are included in the list.
Australia
edit- Scoresby Steamfest
- Lake Goldsmith steam rally (Twice yearly)
- Hunter Valley Steamfest
- Steam Rally Echuca Moama
- SteamFest Tasmania at Sheffield
Canada
editIreland
edit- Eyrecourt
- Innishannon Steam and Vintage Rally – (1998- )
- Stradbally - Irish National Steam Rally – (1965- )[3]
- Upton Steam Rally – ( -1997)
Netherlands
edit- Dordt in Stoom, Dordrecht - (1985- ) bi-annual large event in and around the historic harbour district with steam powered ships, trains, river boats and other engines.[4]
Poland
editUnited Kingdom
editStatic events
editTravelling shows
edit- Carter's Steam Fair – (1976-2022) A travelling funfair that travels throughout London and the home counties from Easter to Bonfire Night. Carters stopped travelling in 2022.[31]
United States
edit- Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum - bi-annual show in Vista, California
- Antique Powerland, Brooks Oregon. Annual Steam-Up[32]
- Antique Power and Steam Show - Large annual show taking place in the Lake County Fairgrounds in Indiana.
- Badger Steam and Gas Show - Annual show hosted by Badger Steam and Gas Engine Club near Baraboo, WI
- Buckley Old Engine Show - Annual show in Buckley, Michigan[33]
- K&O Steam and Gas Engine Show, Windfield Kansas.
- Central North Dakota Steam Thresher's Reunion – (1958- )[34]
- The Dover Steam Show – (1964- ) Annual show hosted by Tuscarawas Valley Pioneer Power Association[35]
- Great Steamboat Race - (1963- ) annual round trip race from Louisville, Kentucky to Jeffersonville, Indiana and back between steamboats on the Ohio River[36]
- Old Thresher's Reunion - (1960- ) Labor Day weekend, Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
- National Threshers Association (1944- ) annual reunion/show held in Wauseon, Ohio, last full weekend of June[37]
- Northwest Ohio Antique Machinery Association Antique Machinery Show - Findlay, OH
- Nowthen Threshing Show - Annual show held on the third full weekend (Friday-Sunday) in August, in Nowthen, Minnesota.[38]
- Pageant of Steam - (1960- ) annual fair held in Canandaigua, New York[39]
- Pawnee Steam and Gas Engine Show - held first full weekend in May in Pawnee, OK
- Pioneer Engineers Club of Rushville, IN - yearly show in Rushville, IN[40]
- Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society - Sagertown, PA.
- Rock River Thresheree Edgerton, Wisconsin – (1955- ) [41]
- Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association Kinzers, Pennsylvania[42]
- Shenandoah Valley Steam & Gas Engine Association, Berryville, VA "Pageant of Steam" held each year the last full weekend in July[43]
- Soule’ Live Steam Festival and Railfest annual event held the first weekend in November in Meridian, MS.[44]
- Southeast Old Threshers' Reunion annual event held July 1-July 5 in Denton, NC [45]
- Steamstock: An Antiquarian Exposition in Point Richmond, CA is an annual event held in July in a former Ford motor factory, next to the Rosie the Riveter Museum.[46]
- Tall Stacks - held every 3 or 4 years in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1988; is a fair for steam powered riverboats.[47]
- Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association near Easton, MD - annual "Steam Show" (1973- ) in early July.[48]
- Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion (WMSTR) Rollag, Minnesota[49]
- Western New York Gas & Steam Engine Association Annual Rally - Alexander, NY
- Cama Powerup Spring and Fall Kent, CT [50]
- Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association Back to the Farm Reunion Boonevill, MO [51]
- Riverbend Steam and Gas Association Allendale, MI [52]
- The Michigan Steam Engine and Threshers Club Reunion, Mason, MI.[53]
See also
edit- Live steam
- Hollycombe Steam Collection – essentially a steam fair, but in the form of a museum
- Thursford Collection – steam museum featuring traction engines
Notes
edit- ^ "Steam-Era". Ontario Steam & Antique Preservers Association. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
- ^ Georgian Bay Steam Show
- ^ "National Steam Rally back on track". Irish Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
- ^ Dordt in Stoom Archived 26 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "1000 Engine Rally Homepage".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Astle Park Traction Engine Rally". Archived from the original on 18 August 2010.
- ^ "Barton Gate Charity Steam Rally". Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- ^ "Boconnoc Steam Fair". Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ^ "Cadeby Steam Rally at Mallory Park". Mallory Park. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
- ^ Cadeby Steam & Country Fayre Archived 16 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Welcome to the Chickerell Steam & Vintage Show website". Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ Cromford steam Rally Archived 24 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Dacorum Steam & Country Fayre". Retrieved 31 July 2022.
- ^ Haddenham Steam Rally
- ^ Old Glory Events Guide pt2, 2008
- ^ Hollowell Steam Rally
- ^ Hollycombe Steam Collection
- ^ "The Island Steam Show".
- ^ Kettering Vintage rally
- ^ Old Glory Events guide, 2008
- ^ "Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show, near Southampton, Hants". Netleymarshsteamandcraftshow.org. 17 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Northleach Steam and Vintage Show, Northleach, Gloucestershire". Northleachsteamshow.co.uk. 16 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
- ^ Ringmer Steam & Country Show
- ^ Rudgwick Steam & Country Show
- ^ "The Basingstoke Canal (Sales Stand Venues 1991)". June 1991. Archived from the original on 10 September 2008. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
- ^ "The Robey Trust". Retrieved 15 June 2010.
...the Tavistock Steam Fair, normally takes place on the Sunday of the first weekend of June every year.
- ^ "Torbay Steam Fair". Retrieved 3 November 2008.
- ^ "Home ⋆ Welland Steam & Country Rally".
- ^ "Wiston Steam Rally".
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|url=
(help) - ^ "Wrotham Classic Steam and Transport Rally –".
- ^ "All the fun of the steam powered fair". www.readersdigest.co.uk. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ "Annual Steam-up". Antique Powerland. Archived from the original on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
- ^ The Buckley Old Engine Show Retrieved 2010-07-27
- ^ "Central North Dakota Steam Thresher's Reunion". City of New Rockford, North Dakota. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
- ^ "The Dover Steam Show". Tuscarawas Valley Pioneer Power Association. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
- ^ "Kentucky Derby Festival:: Events". www.kdf.org. Archived from the original on 11 November 2008.
- ^ National Threshers Association Archived 9 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Nowthen Historical Power Association, Inc".
- ^ "New York Steam Engine Association: Pageant of Steam". Retrieved 9 November 2008.
- ^ "Pioneer Engineers Club of Indiana, Inc". Pioneerengineers.com. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ River Thresheree, Inc.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Home". roughandtumble.org.
- ^ "Steam Shows".
- ^ Soule’ Live Steam Festival and Railfest
- ^ "2016 Southeast Old Threshers' Reunion".
- ^ Steamstock
- ^ "Tall Stacks Music Arts & Heritage Festival". Tallstacks.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association
- ^ Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion
- ^ Connecticut Antique Machinery Association (CAMA)
- ^ Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association (MRVSEA
- ^ Riverbend Steam and Gas Association
- ^ Hook, Larry. "Thousands flock to Mason for 54th annual Michigan Steam Engine & Threshers Club reunion". MLive.com. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
External links
edit- List of UK Steam Fairs
- UK Traction engine rallies
- Live listings of UK Steam and Vintage Events (Visitors may also submit to this Events Guide)
- "Old Glory" Online Guide to UK Events including steam rallies and fairs (dynamic list) - from the Old Glory magazine
- (Old Glory also publishes a 'Free' paper version at the start of each year listing UK Events.)