MSRA CAR SHOW

The MSRA (Minnesota Street Rod Association) holds a car show at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds every year about the middle of June. Usually, around Father’s Day. It is probably one of the largest car shows in the nation, with people coming from all across the country to display their cars. These cars range in age from the early 1930’s up to 1964. Most have been totally redone with new interiors and paint, but some are all original. They have gimmicks going on with themes from back to the fifties, such as the dice hanging from the mirror, coca cola trailers, etc. When there are masses of people in one place the vendors come bringing their wares to sell along with the food vendors bringing yummy food for us to purchase to satisfy our cravings one by one. Music from back to the fifties can be heard while strolling down the streets filled with over ten thousand cars on display. In the evening, bands perform for your dancing pleasure which always reminds me of the song, “Dancing in the Streets”. I don’t usually stop to sit down and listen for a while, but this time the band name caught my interest. Nordic Surf! I will stop to check out anything that even looks Scandinavian and this certainly qualified. The band consisted of four guys who of course were Norwegian Americans and heck you could even tell that by their last names. Interesting part was they don’t sing, but only play guitar and drums to only surfing songs from the sixties. They had been playing together for a number of years and began playing for small events, eventually putting out a CD and landing a gig at the MSRA. Generally at this time year, it is hot in Minnesota, thus the saying those “Hot Summer Nights” comes to mind. And nothing beats a day at the MSRA car show at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds viewing immaculate hot cars, a truly magical place where the day leads into a hot summer night listening to Nordic Surf playing surfing songs from the sixties.