A steam fair or steam rally is a regular organised gathering of historic steam-powered vehicles and machinery, open to the public. Typical exhibits include: traction engines, steam rollers, steam wagons, and steam cars. Often, the scope is widened to include other historic exhibits such as stationary engines, internal-combustion -powered road transport, agricultural and construction vehicles, working horses, woodcraft and the like.
A typical steam fairs 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 fairgrounds 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.
Australia Booleroo Steam & Traction Rally Hunter Valley Steamfest Lake Goldsmith steam rally (Twice yearly) Scoresby Steamfest Steam Rally Echuca Moama SteamFest Tasmania at Sheffield
Canada Steam-Era - (Milton, Ontario) Threshermen's Reunion – (Austin, Manitoba) Georgian Bay Steam Show _ (Cookstown, Ontario)Georgian Bay Steam Show Germany The German language article lists around 20 steam fairs, mainly annual and mainly in Germany.
Ireland Eyrecourt Innishannon Steam and Vintage Rally – (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.Dordt in Stoom
Poland
Wolsztyn – (1993- ) annual steam locomotive parade held the last weekend of April near a historic roundhouse Chabówka – (2005- ) "Parowozjada" - steam locomotive parade held the last weekend of August in a railway museum near the railway station
United Kingdom
Static events EventLocationYears activeNotes1000 Engine RallyChelford, Cheshire1985- Staged in JuneAbbey Hill Steam RallyYeovil, Somerset1980-Astle Park Traction Engine RallyChelford, CheshireStaged in AugustBarton Gate Charity Steam RallyBarton Gate, Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire1995- Boconnoc Steam Fair Cornwall1998-Bedfordshire Steam & Country FayreBedfordshireCadeby Steam & Country FayreCadeby Steam & Country Fayre Burtonwood Airfield, Lancashire1970s-1980sCadeby Steam & Country FayreCadeby Steam & Country Fayre Mallory Park, Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire1964-200844 yearsCastle CombeCastle Combe, WiltshireHeld in MayCambridgeshire Steam RallySwavesey2009- Chickerell Steam and Vintage ShowChickerell, Dorset2004-Cromford Steam RallyCromford steam Rally Brackenfield, Derbyshire38 years (as of 2008)Dacorum Steam & Country FayreDacorum, Hertfordshire 2007-Great Dorset Steam FairDorset1968‒2024Grand Henham Steam RallyHenham Park, Blythburgh, Suffolk1974-Haddenham Steam Rally and Heavy Horse ShowHaddenham Steam RallyHaddenham, Cambridgeshire1974-Holcot Steam Rally & Country FairOld Glory Events Guide pt2, 2008Holcot, Northamptonshire11th year (2008)Hollowell Steam Rally and Heavy Horse ShowHollowell Steam Rally Hollowell, Northamptonshire1986-Hollycombe Steam CollectionHollycombe Steam CollectionLiphook, Hampshire1971-Island Steam ShowIsle of Wight Steam Railway1975-Kettering Vintage Rally & Steam FayreKettering Vintage rallyKettering, Northamptonshire2000-Knowl Hill Steam RallyKnowl Hill, Berkshirec. 1969-2004Lincolnshire Steam and Vintage RallyOld Glory Events guide, 2008Lincolnshire23rd year (2008)Market Bosworth Steam RallyCadeby, LeicestershireNetley Marsh Steam and Craft FairNetley Marsh, Hampshire1971-Northleach Steam & Vintage ShowNorthleach, Gloucestershirec. 1950s- Mosterton Summer ShowMosterton, DorsetLatest Rally - 2 & 3 July 2011Much Marcle Steam RallyMuch Marcle, Herefordshire1986-Ringmer Steam & Country ShowRingmer Steam & Country ShowRingmer, East Sussex2003-Rudgwick Steam & Country ShowRudgwick Steam & Country ShowRudgwick, West Sussex1987-Rushmoor Steam RallyRushmoor Arena, Aldershot, Hampshire-c. 1991Somerset Steam SpectacularLow Ham, Somerset52nd year. mid July (2011)Scorton SteamScorton, Lancashire2005-Held on third weekend in JuneShrewsbury Steam RallyShropshire1962-Late August Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday(Organised by The County of Salop Steam Engine Society)Silloth Vintage RallySilloth Green, Silloth-on-Solway, Cumbria2000-Held on third weekend in JulyStoke Prior Steam RallyBromsgrove, WorcestershireHeld on the third weekend in SeptemberLatest Rally 20-21 September 2025Tavistock Steam FairTavistock, DevonTorbay Steam FairTorbay, Devon1987- Welland Steam & Country RallyWelland, Worcestershire1964-Wiston Steam RallyWest Sussex2011-Wrotham Classic Steam and Transport RallyWrotham, Kent1979-Staged yearly
Travelling shows Carter's Steam Fair – (1976-2022) A travelling funfair that travelled throughout London and the home counties from Easter to Bonfire Night. Carters stopped travelling in 2022.
United States
Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum - bi-annual show in Vista, California Antique Power and Steam Show - Large annual show taking place in the Lake County Fairgrounds in Indiana. Antique Powerland, Brooks Oregon. Annual Steam-Up Badger Steam and Gas Show - Annual show hosted by Badger Steam and Gas Engine Club near Baraboo, WI Buckley Old Engine Show - Annual show in Buckley, MichiganThe Buckley Old Engine Show Retrieved 2010-07-27 Cama Powerup Spring and Fall Kent, CT Connecticut Antique Machinery Association (CAMA) Central North Dakota Steam Thresher's Reunion – (1958- ) The Dover Steam Show – (1964- ) Annual show hosted by Tuscarawas Valley Pioneer Power Association Great Steamboat Race - (1963- ) annual round trip race from Louisville, Kentucky to Jeffersonville, Indiana and back between steamboats on the Ohio River Kansas & Oklahoma Steam and Gas Engine Show (1982- ) annual show by the K&O Steam and Gas Engine Association in Winfield, Kansas. The Michigan Steam Engine and Threshers Club Reunion, Mason, MI. Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association Back to the Farm Reunion Boonevill, MO Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association (MRVSEA National Threshers Association (1944- ) annual reunion/show held in Wauseon, Ohio, last full weekend of JuneNational Threshers Association Northwest Ohio Antique Machinery Association Antique Machinery Show - Findlay, OH Nowthen Threshing Show - Annual show held on the third full weekend (Friday-Sunday) in August, in Nowthen, Minnesota. Old Thresher's Reunion - (1960- ) Labor Day weekend, Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Pageant of Steam - (1960- ) annual fair held in Canandaigua, New York Pawnee Steam and Gas Engine Show - held first full weekend in May in Pawnee, OK Pioneer Engineers Club of Rushville, IN - yearly show in Rushville, IN Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society - Sagertown, PA. Riverbend Steam and Gas Association Allendale, MI Riverbend Steam and Gas Association Rock River Thresheree Edgerton, Wisconsin – (1955- ) River Thresheree, Inc. Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association Kinzers, Pennsylvania Shenandoah Valley Steam & Gas Engine Association, Berryville, VA "Pageant of Steam" held each year the last full weekend in July Soule’ Live Steam Festival and Railfest annual event held the first weekend in November in Meridian, MS.Soule’ Live Steam Festival and Railfest Southeast Old Threshers' Reunion annual event held July 1-July 5 in Denton, NC Steamstock: An Antiquarian Exposition in Point Richmond, CA is an annual event held in July in a former Ford motor factory, next to the Rosie the Riveter Museum.Steamstock Tall Stacks - held every 3 or 4 years in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1988; is a fair for steam powered riverboats. Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association near Easton, MD - annual "Steam Show" (1973- ) in early July.Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion (WMSTR) Rollag, MinnesotaWestern Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion Western New York Gas & Steam Engine Association Annual Rally - Alexander, NY
See also
Live steam Hollycombe Steam Collection – essentially a steam fair, but in the form of a museum Thursford Collection – steam museum featuring traction engines
Notes
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 (Old Glory also publishes a 'Free' paper version at the start of each year listing UK Events.) Search for steam fairs near you (UK only)