Engine Tourism

List of Shows in 2010

The following is a listing of communities and clubs that traditionally have shows.  The full show schedule is has been solidified, and Christine has published the dates on her site.  Please note that this is not a verbatim republishing of her list as I add a few that she does not recognize and have deleted anything to do with the Calgary Stampede (as I do not recognize it as a legitimate historic or cultural event).Check further below for maps and information on the bigger ones that I attend.

Westlock Alberta – June.To visit the museum click here!

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Leslieville – August.

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Irricana – August.  This is my club show grounds pictured here.Visit the museum by clicking here.

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Reynolds Museum – September:  Probably the most prestigious show in the area as there is always some really great stuff there! Visit the museum by clicking here!

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List of Shows in 2009

2009 was a great show season. For the most part the weather was very good and with the exception of one tornado, all went well.

Big Valley steam show – July 18, 19 – it was fantastic this year and the warmth shown to me by the organizers is nothing short of humbling. I had this great idea that I would take the family camping to this one as we could pitch a tent on the grounds. This is where the first lesson was learnt. Make sure that someone brings the tent poles, or at least there is a list where tent poles are described.  We did a fantastic makeshift job of creating a tent from my engine stands. It was unfortunate that we were pitched between an antique metal box car and the museum signs because the wind which picked up at midnight had the train car booming like thunder and was a great warning for when the tent began to rip away in the wind. The rest of the night was spent uncomfortably in the truck. It was only Ernie and Litha’s fantastic breakfast that raised our spirits from that rather memorable night.

Leduc West Antique Society – July 25, 26 – A great show. No family as they were scared away from engine shows for a while. I got a really bad case of heat stroke the first day. It has not been that hot for a very long time.  First serious attempt at running the Fairbanks Y. It bounced a lot until with the help of Klaus the engine whisperer, we got her tamed. I realized there is a lot of work which needs to happen to her cooling system and anchors to get her into show condition.

Leslieville show –  August 1, 2 – Fantastic show.  Began to rain at the end of the second day, so I was very thankful that it held off.  My friend Tom came with me and brought his engines.  He was a great help, as well as Doug who happily tended to the Fairbanks Y all weekend.

Irricanna Show –  August 7, 8, 9 – Another great show.  This was the home club.

Reynolds Museum Fair –  September 5,6

Iricanna Stationary Engine Days – September 12, 13 – My local club.

Camrose Museum Thresher days –  September 20

Westlock Alberta – June – 6th and 7th

Click here to visit the Canadian Tractor Museum

Westlock show – June 6, 7 – A great start to the show year!! Unfortunately, Dan did not show up to display this year. He did not feel that his engines were in the best of condition and was frustrated by it all. It was great to see him and his brother Max however. I attempted to run the 15 hp FBMZ elevator engine for the first time on the trailer, but sadly it vibrated too much for the trailer. More YouTube videos to follow. A number of the pictures are from my last minute visit to the Canadian Tractor museum which Dan and Max contribute to. It is also just off the show grounds.

Lacombe show –  June 20, 21  Things were insanely busy by this time and I was unable to make it.  I hear it went well.  It would have been great to have seen Ray Dredger again.Markerville – June 27, 28  See above.  I really wanted to make this one.  I hear that Randy from the Reynolds was a big hit with his Fairbanks tractor.

July – Calgary Stampede – This is called an AG event but it is far from it.  These guys are not interested in anything more than really bad stereo types of the american cowboy.  They haven’t had engines there for years and their attention to farm life revolves around big corporations.  I almost was able to avoid this one except that my family dragged me to the grounds.   I can’t begin to describe how little this represents the western way of life.

Big Valley steam show –  July 18, 19 – It was fantastic this year and the warmth shown to me by the organizers is nothing short of humbling.  I had this great idea that I would take the family camping to this one as we could pitch a tent on the grounds.  This is where the first lesson was learnt.  Make sure that someone brings the tent poles, or at least there is a list where tent poles are described.  We did a fantastic makeshift job of creating a tent from my engine stands.  It was unfortunate that we were pitched between an antique metal box car and the museum signs because the wind which picked up at midnight had the train car booming like thunder and was a great warning for when the tent began to rip away in the wind.  The rest of the night was spent uncomfortably in the truck.  It was only Ernie and Litha’s fantastic breakfast that raised our spirits from that rather memorable night.

Leduc West Antique Society –  July 25, 26 A great show.  No family as they were scared away from engine shows for a while.  I got a really bad case of heat stroke the first day.  It has not been that hot for a very long time.  First serious attempt at running the Fairbanks Y.   It bounced a lot until with the help of Klaus the engine whisperer, we got her tamed.  I realized there is a lot of work which needs to happen to her cooling system and anchors to get her into show condition.

Leslieville – August 1st and 2nd

Irricana – August 7,8,9: This is my club show grounds pictured here.

Reynolds Museum – September 5th and 6th:  Probably the most prestigious show in the area as there is always some really great stuff there!

List of Shows in 2008

Here is a short listing of the adventures I had in 2008:

Westlock show – Rained out. Although my friends up there tell me Saturday became nice, I couldn’t drive 5 hours in the rain.

Lacombe show – It was great. Smaller crowds due to earlier rain but very satisfying. Not alot of engines displayed.

Markerville – Small show but alot of heart. We showed for one day only. Congratulations to Will Voss for winning the ribbon for best small engine display.

Big Valley steam show – It was great! Well worth the trip. Again I only showed for one day but will definitely do two next time. Thank you to the organizers of that event for their most gracious welcome.

Leduc West Antique Society –  Missed It 🙁  I had to work late and could not afford the time. I hear it was good.

Leslieville show – Most Engine guys for years. Dan Wiese even made it down! It was a fantastic show, lots of enthusiasm.
Check for my Youtube posting with clips from this show.

Irricanna Show – Good show weekend. Will Voss started on his post drill display. 3 days of interesting displays.

Reynolds Museum Fair – A nice harvest weekend. Well attended. The Gideon made its first appearance to great interest! Thanks to Randy for letting me drive the FBM Tractor! Now I want one… dont tell my wife.

Heritage Park Fall Fair – It was wayyyy better than I expected.  I had worked there in my youth and hated it’s political quagmire.  I stayed delightfully out of it all.  Yes, I had to wear the uniform that the costume NAZI’s provided, but hey, I was well provided for as a volunteer.  A big hearty thanks to Brian for inviting me, I would love to do it again.  Ray and I belted up a feed grinder to my T. Eaton Waterloo boy.  Video can be seen at YouTube.

Irricanna engine days – Small and quiet, we didnt have many people. A good time had by all. We welcomed Peter into the fold. I hope he will display more, his Lawson was a beaut!

Camrose Museum Thresher days – Yea, I was late…  It is awefully hard to load the trailer and get up so early for a 3 hour drive. I enjoyed myself. Thanks again to Dave Fitche, for inviting me! A really good show and the last of the season.

Shows in 2007

2007 was a great year.  A big thanks to all those who I met at these shows, both displaying and visiting.

Westlock show – June 2 & 3, 2007

I had made the previous year (2006) but did not make 2007 due to work commitments.  This is a smaller show, but you can always find Dan or his brother there exhibiting pieces from their great engine collection.  A very active group.   I will post video of the 2006 show as time allows.

Leslieville show – August 4th & 5th, 2007

Leslieville has a younger, keen, and very active group which puts on a great show.  I highly recommend visiting these guys as they have allot of heart.   I showed a trailer load of engines at this one, most of which were NOT working.  I had simply ran out of time to get them all running so I went thinking that maybe I could run one and work on the rest.  Well I spent way too much time chatting and visiting.  My running engine was a 7 1/2 hp FBMZ engine.  Others on the trailer were my Galloway round rod, IHC 6 hp M style, Sattley 5 hp.

Pioneer Acres – Irricana Alberta

This was an interesting show.  These guys beat out Leslieville to be my home club.  Thanks to Ray Loewen for being so very persistant.  I shot the video below.  Click on this link to visit the Pioneer Acres website.  Click on this link to view google maps of the show grounds.

Reynolds Museum Fair – September 1st and 2nd

This was perhaps the highlight of the years engine shows, if only for the prestige of showing there.  The Reynolds is internationally known for its collection and it was an honor to be able to have engines that were a match to those brought out by the museum.  For this one I had my newly arrived 6 hp Napoleon (H/M), DesJardin 4 hp COTW, DesJardin 4 hp new style, FBMZ 7 1/2, and Waterloo boy (T. Eaton Tagged) 4 hp.  I met many more very serious engine guys here and made some great contacts.

Leduc West Antique Society – September 15th

I had visited the summer show and the video and pictures are below.  This was the fall show which was much smaller in nature.  It was a good one day show and was nice to get away and work on my engines while showing.

Camrose Museum Thresher days – September 16th

This was Dave Fitche’s show.  Dave was a fellow who I met first at Leslieville, then Irricanna, then… well, pretty much every show I attended in the season.  Dave is the curator at the Camrose Museum and a great resource for the steam and engine world.  I speak with Dave on a fairly regular basis now and his generous nature and depth of knowledge make for great conversations.  This show also made me keenly aware of how enthusiasm of the hobby fades with time and how important it is to keep a younger generation interested.  The guys who display and run this show are all aging, but are still so full of life.  It is of note however, how the back pains, arm strains, and the ill health of age can slow an entire community of hobbyists.  Even in my third year of collecting (and with the tender young age of 42) my engines look heavier with each show…  Hehehe.