In the 68 years since the first Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion was held in the tiny northwest Minnesota town of Rollag, the annual "steam meet" has grown to draw an estimated 50 to 60 thousand people during its Labor Day weekend run.
This year's WMSTR — pronounced “Whim-stir” by the locals — is set to open Friday, Sept. 3, and continue through Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 6.
From the time the gates open at 6 a.m. daily until the last fiddler plays at night, there's always something happening, as upwards of 2,000 local volunteers do their best to show visitors what life was like back in the early days of agriculture and steam-powered locomotion.
Even the prices are a blast from the past: Once you pay your $14 gate fee (kids 14 and younger are admitted free of charge so long as they’re accompanied by an adult), or $25 for a “season pass” to all four days of the event, there’s no reason to get out your wallet again until meal time., or to pick up a special souvenir. All of the rides and attractions on the reunion grounds are included as part of your admission — and that's quite a lot, according to WMSTR President Duane Hovelsrud.
Train rides — from full-size engines all the way down to kid-friendly miniature models — and twice-daily parades, horse-drawn wagon rides and demonstrations of everything from sewing, spinning and knitting to blacksmithing, threshing machines and sawmills are all part of the fun, along with vintage tractor, steam and gas engine displays, live music throughout the day and much, much more.
"We've got three operational saw mills that will be up and going full force, and we've got trains ranging from a miniature scale model up to a full-size locomotive," he said. "And we've got a carousel — all of these things are steam-powered."
Each year, the WMSTR Expo also features a different brand of ag-related equipment. Because the Otto gas engine display that was supposed to take place last year was canceled along with all the other reunionevents, this year's Expo is going to be a double feature — "which is something we've never done before," Hovelsrud said.
"We're featuring both Oliver & Hart Parr tractors, and Otto stationary gas engines," he continued. "We've got some Oliver equipment coming from as far away as California, and we've got some pretty big Oliver collectors just in the Rollag area. They will be in their glory."
As for the other half of the Expo, he added, "We do have one of the largest collections of Otto gas engines right here at Rollag — ranging from scale models all the way up to 40 horsepower engines. There's nobody that has the vast variety of Otto engines as we have at Rollag. And we have engines coming from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania, too."
And when you do get hungry? There’s plenty to eat, with a fry-bread stand, homestyle “threshermen’s meals,” ice cream cones and more available for purchase. There’s even a souvenir stand if you want to buy a cap or a shirt to take home as a memento of your visit.
The reunion grounds can be found about 20 miles southwest of Detroit Lakes. For more information, visit www.rollag.com , where you'll find a complete schedule of events, a map of the festival grounds, and details about some of Rollag's more popular attractions.
1/5:The "Old 353" steam-powered locomotive transports passengers around the grounds of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion throughout the four-day festival, which opens this Friday, Sept. 3 and continues through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)
2/5:Steam and gas engines of every shape, size and description can be found puttering about the grounds of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion at Rollag, Minn. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)
3/5:The parades held twice daily at Rollag during the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion are one of the biggest attractions of the festival, which takes place on Labor Day weekend each year. This year's festival runs Sept. 3-6. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)
4/5:The Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion requires upwards of 2,000 volunteer workers and festival staff to keep things running smoothly each year, including licensed steam engineers such as this gentleman, who wore his credentials proudly in 2018. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)
5/5:The Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion requires upwards of 2,000 volunteer workers and festival staff to keep things running smoothly each year, including licensed steam engineers such as this gentleman, who wore his credentials proudly in 2018. (Vicki Gerdes / Tribune)
