List of steam fairs
Encyclopedia
A steam fair or is a regular organised gathering of historic steam-powered
vehicles and machinery, open to the public. Typical exhibits include: traction engine
s, steam rollers, steam wagon
s, and steam car
s. Often, the scope is widened to include other historic exhibits such as stationary engine
s, internal-combustion -powered road transport, agricultural and construction vehicles, working horses, woodcraft and the like.
A typical steam fair consists of:
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.
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Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
vehicles and machinery, open to the public. Typical exhibits include: traction engine
Traction engine
A traction engine is a self-propelled steam engine used to move heavy loads on roads, plough ground or to provide power at a chosen location. The name derives from the Latin tractus, meaning 'drawn', since the prime function of any traction engine is to draw a load behind it...
s, steam rollers, steam wagon
Steam wagon
A steam wagon is a steam-powered road vehicle for carrying freight. It was the earliest form of lorry and came in two basic forms: overtype and undertype – the distinction being the position of the engine relative to the boiler...
s, and steam car
Steam car
A steam car is a light car powered by a steam engine.Steam locomotives, steam engines capable of propelling themselves along either road or rails, developed around one hundred years earlier than internal combustion engine cars although their weight restricted them to agricultural and heavy haulage...
s. Often, the scope is widened to include other historic exhibits such as stationary engine
Stationary engine
A stationary engine is an engine whose framework does not move. It is normally used not to propel a vehicle but to drive a piece of immobile equipment such as a pump or power tool. They may be powered by steam; or oil-burning or internal combustion engines....
s, 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.
Ireland
- EyrecourtEyrecourtEyrecourt, historically known as Donanaghta , is a village in County Galway, Ireland. Eyrecourt is on the R356 regional road 12 km west of the Banagher bridge over the River Shannon.-History:...
- Innishannon Steam and Vintage RallyInnishannon steam and vintage rallyInnishannon Steam and Vintage Rally is held at Innishannon , a village on the main Cork–Bandon road in County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. The show takes place in a 38 acre site.- History :...
– (1998- ) - Stradbally - Irish National Steam Rally – (1965- )
- 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.
Poland
- WolsztynWolsztynWolsztyn is a town in western Poland, on the western edge of Greater Poland Voivodeship...
– (1993- ) annual steam locomotive parade held the last weekend of April near a historic roundhouse
United Kingdom
Static events
- 1000 Engine Rally, ChelfordChelfordChelford is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is near to the junction of the A537 and A535 roads, about six miles west of Macclesfield, and six miles south-east of Knutsford. It is served by a small railway...
, CheshireCheshireCheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, staged in June (1985 - ) - http://abbeyhillrally.co.ukAbbey Hill Steam Rally YeovilYeovilYeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
, SomersetSomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
(1980 -) (Latest Rally May Day Bank Holiday Weekend - Friday 4th - 7th May 2012)] - Astle Park Traction Engine Rally, Chelford, Cheshire, staged in August
- Barton Gate Charity Steam Rally - (1995- )
- Burtonwood airfield, Lancashire (1970s—1980s)
- Cadeby Steam & Country Fayre – 44 years (1964-2008)
- Castle CombeCastle Combe CircuitCastle Combe Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Wiltshire, England, approximately from Bristol. The circuit used to be the perimeter track of a World War II airfield, and opened to racing in 1950.- History :...
, Wiltshire, held in May - Cambridgeshire Steam Rally, Swavesey – (2009- )
- Cromford Steam Rally 38 years (as of 2008))
- Great Dorset Steam FairGreat Dorset Steam FairThe Great Dorset Steam Fair is an annual show featuring steam-powered vehicles and machinery. It now covers and runs for five days from the Wednesday after the UK August bank holiday...
– (1968- ) - Grand Henham Steam RallyGrand Henham Steam RallyThe Grand Henham Steam Rally is held annually at the end of September at Henham Park, near Southwold, in the English county of Suffolk. It attracts a large number of exhibitors; including tractors, cars, army vehicles, fire engines, lorries and of course, steam engines.The 1975 Rally attracted...
- (1974- ) - Holcot Steam Rally & Country Fair 11th year (2008)
- Hollowell Steam Rally and Heavy Horse Show – (1986- )
- Kettering Vintage Rally & Steam Fayre - (2000- )
- Knowl Hill Steam Rally – ( -2004)
- Lincolnshire Steam and Vintage Rally 23rd year (2008)
- Market Bosworth Steam Rally
- Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Fair - (1971- )
- Mosterton Summer Show (Latest Rally - 2nd & 3rd July 2011)
- Portland Steam and Vintage Show – (2004- )
- Rudgwick Steam & Country Show – (1987- ) RudgwickRudgwickRudgwick is a village and civil parish in the Horsham District of West Sussex, England located six miles west of Horsham on the north side of the A281 road. The border between Surrey and Sussex runs through the northern part of the village....
, West SussexWest SussexWest Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming... - Rushmoor Steam Rally – ( - c1991) Rushmoor Arena, AldershotAldershotAldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of... - Somerset Steam Spectacular - 52nd year. mid july (2011)
- Tavistock Steam Fair
- Torbay Steam Fair – (1987- )
United States
- Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum - bi-annual show in Vista, California
- Antique PowerlandAntique PowerlandAntique Powerland is a collection of museums and a self-described heritage site for power equipment, such as farm machinery, trucks , trains, construction equipment, and the engines which power them. It is located in Brooks, Oregon, United States, and is operated by the non-profit Antique...
, Brooks Oregon. Annual Steam-Up - Antique Power and Steam Show - Large annual show taking place in the Lake County Fairgrounds in Indiana.
- The Buckley Old Engine Show in Buckley Michigan
- Central North Dakota Steam Thresher's ReunionCentral North Dakota Steam Thresher's ReunionThe Central North Dakota Steam Thresher's Reunion is an annual event held in New Rockford, North Dakota every third weekend of September. The event is held on the New Rockford Fairground, and began in 1958. It features rare working steam engines, antique implements, and also many antique tractors....
– (1958- ) - Great Steamboat RaceGreat Steamboat RaceThe Great Steamboat Race is an annual event, taking place the Wednesday before the first Saturday of May, three days before the Kentucky Derby as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival. The race was first run in 1963 and it takes place on the Ohio River in the span that runs between Louisville,...
- (1963- ) annual round trip race from Louisville, Kentucky to Jeffersonville, Indiana and back between steamboats on the Ohio River - Old Thresher's ReunionOld Thresher's ReunionThe Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion was started in 1950 and has taken place every Labor Day weekend since in the small town of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa...
- (1960- ) Labor Day weekend, Mount Pleasant, IowaMount Pleasant, IowaMount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa, in the United States. The population was 8,668 in the 2010 census, a decline from 8,751 in the 2000 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders.- History :...
. - National Threshers AssociationNational Threshers AssociationThe National Threshers Association is a non-profit group of enthusiasts who are interested in steam-powered traction engines - also known as "steam tractors", "steam traction engines" or simply "steam engines" - as well as related equipment...
(1944- ) annual reunion/show held in Wauseon, Ohio, last full weekend of June - Pageant of SteamPageant of SteamPageant of Steam is an annual steam fair held in the Town of Hopewell, New York. It started in 1960 and is hosted by the New York State Steam Engine Association....
- (1960- ) annual fair held in Canandaigua, New YorkCanandaigua (city), New YorkCanandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census... - Pioneer Engineers Club of Rushville, IN - yearly show in Rushville, IN
- Rock River Thresheree Edgerton, WisconsinEdgerton, WisconsinEdgerton is a city in Dane and Rock Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 4,933 at the 2000 census. Known locally as "Tobacco City U.S.A.," because of the importance of tobacco growing in the region, Edgerton continues to be a center for the declining tobacco industry in the...
– (1955- ) - Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical AssociationRough and Tumble Engineers Historical AssociationThe Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association puts on the second- or third- oldest Threshermen’s Reunion in the United States. It is held in the middle of August each year, from Wednesday through Saturday, in Kinzers, Pennsylvania, about eight miles east of the city of Lancaster...
Kinzers, Pennsylvania - Soule’ Live Steam Festival and Railfest annual event held the first weekend in November in Meridian, MS.
- Tall StacksTall StacksTall Stacks, formally known as the Tall Stacks Music, Arts, and Heritage Festival, is a festival held every three or four years in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, which celebrates the city's heritage of the riverboat. The sixth edition was held on October 4 through October 8, 2006...
- held every 3 or 4 years in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1988; is a fair for steam powered riverboats. - Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion (WMSTR) Rollag, Minnesota
- Cama Powerup Spring and Fall Kent, CT
- Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association Back to the Farm Reunion Boonevill, MO
- Riverbend Steam and Gas Association Allendale, MI
See also
- Live steamLive steamLive steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
- Hollycombe Steam CollectionHollycombe Steam CollectionThe Hollycombe Steam Collection is a collection of steam-powered vehicles, rides and attractions based near Liphook in Hampshire. The collection includes fairground rides, a display farm and two railways.- History :...
– essentially a steam fair, but in the form of a museum - Thursford CollectionThursford CollectionThe Thursford Collection is a charity trust endowed museum, located in Thursford, Norfolk. Founded by local man, the late George Cushing, its is now known for the scale of collection of steam engines, organs and fairground attractions; and its annual Christmas spectacular show, which draws over...
– 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
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- (Old Glory also publishes a 'Free' paper version at the start of each year listing UK Events.)