Classic cars from as far away as Australia are expected to cruise into the Minnesota State Fairgrounds for the 47th annual MSRA’s Back to the 50’s beginning Friday.
The show returns after a one-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For car enthusiasts like Scott Franklin of Eau Claire, it’s a reconnection with community. Franklin brought his black 1941 Ford with red pinstripes -- the last car the company built before shifting production for the war.
"It's a one of a kind," Frankling told WCCO Radio's Sloane Martin. "It's hard to get parts and hard to find them."
Around 10,000 cars are expected to blanket the fairgrounds during the three-day event. The car show, voted the best car show by USA Today in 2019, is known for its social components as well.
"It's not only showing [your car off] to other people, but being with other people. There's a lot of camaraderie in this group," said MSRA board member Wallie Virgil. "We have a lot of members who are older and have known one another for years and years. This is one of the times where some of them have moved away come back to be together. It's kind of like a family reunion."
The entire Back to the 50's schedule can be found here.