List of steam fairs

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.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Australia

• Scoresby Steamfest
• Lake Goldsmith steam rally (Twice yearly)

Canada

• Steam-Era^[1]
• Threshermen's Reunion – (Austin, Manitoba)

Ireland

• Eyrecourt
• Innishannon Steam and Vintage Rally – (1998- )
• Stradbally - Irish National Steam Rally – (1965- )^[2]
• Upton Steam Rally – ( -1997)

Netherlands

• 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.^[3]

Poland

Steam locomotive parade in Wolsztyn

• Wolsztyn – (1993- ) annual steam locomotive parade held the last weekend of April near a historic roundhouse
• Chabówka – (2005- ) "Parowozjada" - steam locomotive parade held the last weekend of August in a railway museum near the railway station

United Kingdom

Great Dorset Steam Fair: night-time view of the line-up of 40+ showman's engines, in the vintage fairground section

Static events

• 1000 Engine Rally, Chelford, Cheshire, staged in June (1985 - )^[4]
• Abbey Hill Steam Rally Yeovil, Somerset (1980 -) (Next Rally May Day Bank Holiday Weekend - Friday 2–5 May 2014)
• Astle Park Traction Engine Rally, Chelford, Cheshire, staged in August ^[5]
• Barton Gate Charity Steam Rally - (1995- )^[6]
• Boconnoc Steam Fair Cornwall - (1998- )^[7]
• Burtonwood airfield, Lancashire (1970s—1980s)
• Cadeby Steam & Country Fayre – 44 years (1964-2008) ^[8][9]
• Castle Combe, Wiltshire, held in May
• Cambridgeshire Steam Rally, Swavesey – (2009- )
• Chickerell Steam and Vintage Show - (2004-)^[10]
• Cromford Steam Rally 38 years (as of 2008))^[11]
• Great Dorset Steam Fair – (1968- )
• Grand Henham Steam Rally - (1974- )
• Haddenham Steam Rally and Heavy Horse Show - (1974- ) ^[12]
• Holcot Steam Rally & Country Fair 11th year (2008)^[13]
• Hollowell Steam Rally and Heavy Horse Show – (1986- )^[14]
• Island Steam Show, held at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway - (1975-)^[15]
• Kettering Vintage Rally & Steam Fayre - (2000- )^[16]
• Knowl Hill Steam Rally – ( -2004)
• Lincolnshire Steam and Vintage Rally 23rd year (2008) ^[17]
• Market Bosworth Steam Rally
• Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Fair - (1971- )^[18]
• Northleach Steam & Vintage Show - (c1950s - )^[19]
• Mosterton Summer Show (Latest Rally - 2 & 3 July 2011)
• Ringmer Steam & Country Show – (2003- )^[20] Ringmer, East Sussex
• Rudgwick Steam & Country Show – (1987- )^[21] Rudgwick, West Sussex
• Rushmoor Steam Rally – ( - c1991)^[22] Rushmoor Arena, Aldershot, Hampshire
• Somerset Steam Spectacular - 52nd year. mid July (2011)
• Scorton Steam - held on third weekend in June (2005-)
• Tavistock Steam Fair^[23]
• Torbay Steam Fair – (1987- )^[24]
• Wiston Steam Rally – (2011- )^[25] West Sussex

Travelling shows

• Carter's Steam Fair – (1976- ) A travelling funfair that travels throughout London and the home counties from Easter to Bonfire Night. ^[26]

United States

Steam tractor lineup at the 2010 Old Thresher's Reunion.

• Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum - bi-annual show in Vista, California
• Antique Powerland, Brooks Oregon. Annual Steam-Up^[27]
• 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
• The Buckley Old Engine Show in Buckley Michigan^[28]
• K&O Steam and Gas Engine Show, Windfield Kansas.
• Central North Dakota Steam Thresher's Reunion – (1958- )^[29]
• Great Steamboat Race - (1963- ) annual round trip race from Louisville, Kentucky to Jeffersonville, Indiana and back between steamboats on the Ohio River^[30]
• 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^[31]
• Northwest Ohio Antique Machinery Association Antique Machinery Show - Findlay, OH
• Pageant of Steam - (1960- ) annual fair held in Canandaigua, New York^[32]
• 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^[33]
• Rock River Thresheree Edgerton, Wisconsin – (1955- ) ^[34]
• Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association Kinzers, Pennsylvania^[35]
• Shenandoah Valley Steam & Gas Engine Association, Berryville, VA "Pageant of Steam" held each year the last full weekend in July^[36]
• Soule’ Live Steam Festival and Railfest annual event held the first weekend in November in Meridian, MS.^[37]
• 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.^[38]
• Tall Stacks - held every 3 or 4 years in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1988; is a fair for steam powered riverboats.^[39]
• Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association near Easton, MD - annual "Steam Show" (1973- ) in early July.^[40]
• Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion (WMSTR) Rollag, Minnesota^[41]
• Western New York Gas & Steam Engine Association Annual Rally - Alexander, NY
• Cama Powerup Spring and Fall Kent, CT ^[42]
• Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association Back to the Farm Reunion Boonevill, MO ^[43]
• Riverbend Steam and Gas Association Allendale, MI ^[44]

http://www.michigansteamengineandthreshersclub.com/show-information.html

Notes

1. "Steam-Era". Ontario Steam & Antique Preservers Association. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
2. "National Steam Rally back on track". Irish Steam Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 9 March 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
3. Dordt in Stoom
4. "1000 Engine Rally Homepage" Check |url= value (help).
5. "Astle Park Traction Engine Rally". Archived from the original on 18 August 2010.
6. "Barton Gate Charity Steam Rally". Retrieved 15 June 2010.
7. "Boconnoc Steam Fair". Retrieved 16 January 2015.
8. "Cadeby Steam Rally at Mallory Park". Mallory Park. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
9. Cadeby Steam & Country Fayre
11. Cromford steam Rally
12. Haddenham Steam Rally
13. Old Glory Events Guide pt2, 2008
14. Hollowell Steam Rally
16. Kettering Vintage rally
17. Old Glory Events guide, 2008
18. "Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show, near Southampton, Hants". Netleymarshsteamandcraftshow.org. 2013-09-17. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
19. "Northleach Steam and Vintage Show, Northleach, Gloucestershire". Northleachsteamshow.co.uk. 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2014-12-16.
20. Ringmer Steam & Country Show
21. Rudgwick Steam & Country Show
22. "The Basingstoke Canal (Sales Stand Venues 1991)". June 1991. Archived from the original on 10 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
23. "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.
24. "Torbay Steam Fair". Retrieved 2008-11-03.
25. "Wiston Steam Rally".
26. "All the fun of the steam powered fair". www.readersdigest.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-12-07.
27. "Annual Steam-up". Antique Powerland. Retrieved 2009-02-15.
28. The Buckley Old Engine Show Retrieved 2010-07-27
29. "Central North Dakota Steam Thresher's Reunion". City of New Rockford, North Dakota. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
30. Archived 11 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
31. National Threshers Association
32. "New York Steam Engine Association: Pageant of Steam". Retrieved 2008-11-09.
33. "Pioneer Engineers Club of Indiana, Inc". Pioneerengineers.com. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
34. River Thresheree, Inc.
35. http://www.roughandtumble.org
37. Soule’ Live Steam Festival and Railfest
38. Steamstock
39. "Tall Stacks Music Arts & Heritage Festival". Tallstacks.com. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
40. Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association
41. Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion
42. Connecticut Antique Machinery Association (CAMA)
43. Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association (MRVSEA
44. Riverbend Steam and Gas Association

See also

• Live steam
• Hollycombe Steam Collection – essentially a steam fair, but in the form of a museum
• Thursford Collection – steam museum featuring traction engines

External links

• 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.)

• Search for steam fairs near you (UK only)