Various types of muscle cars, street rods, customs and special interest vehicles populated Winthrop park. Everything from early 1930’s Ford Model A’s to the most recent Mustangs and Challengers were open for viewing.

Many entered the show by themselves, but groups from around Minnesota also came with their cars. The Saturday Night Cruisers Club came from Hutchinson to enter their fleet of vehicles. They included one of two-thousand 1972 Buick Skylark Sun Coupe’s ever produced, a 1987 El Camino, and a 2004 Ford Mustang Convertible.

The Skylark was bought by member Gary Lambertson thirteen years ago. The car had previously been in a train crash, and several owners had tried to restore the car before he purchased it. Now fully restored, the license plate reads “TRN CRSH” to commemorate its past.

Lambertson has been to the Winthrop Car Show several times with The Cruisers Club. What he has noticed most about the event in his experience is the diversity of vehicles.

Larry Christensen enters the Winthrop Car Show with his wife Sue in a 1968 Plymouth Fury Three. The car belonged to a close friend of Christensen's who passed away, and he restored the car in his honor.

“You see a lot of different cars,” Lambertson said. “Some [cars] people are still working on and some I’ve never seen before. There’s always something new.”

The group also featured some first timers, including Cindy Haugland. She was impressed by the great turnout the event experienced.

The first 75 people to enter the event won a free t-shirt. Several classic cars also got to participate in the parade.

The Great Parade featured over 75 different entries, from local law enforcement and emergency services to royalty from Winthrop, Gibbon, Fairfax, Sleepy Eye, and Sibley Count ty. Fan favorites included the Zuhrah Shrine Funster clowns and mini classic cars, Ruth’s Cow Collector Moo-seum cow tractor, and anything dispensing candy.

Merline Duering was the parade’s coordinator. This was her first year in the position, after her predecessor retired.

Parade viewers stand to honor the Winthrop Honor Guard as it passes. The Honor Guard followed the Winthrop City Police in leading the parade.

“The [previous coordinator], who had done such an exemplary job, decided she’d done it enough years,” Duering said. “They were looking for somebody who could do it. And I said ‘I’ve got some time.’ I love going into parades and I love being in parades so it worked out.”

The event was put together by an all new group of committee members, which Duering said was the biggest change from the previous year.

“Not only for the parade, but for all of Winthrop Fun Fest days,” Duering said. “They are doing just a spectacular job considering what was given to them. They had their predecessors who were absolutely great. [They] took on this new [responsibility] and they tried to make it just as good. And I think they’ve accomplished that.”

Duering said she loved the variety of music available. The Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop high school band, Concord Singers, Minn Over 60 Band, Sleepy Eye Area Concertina Club, and Schell’s Hobo Band all made appearances and played music for the attendees. She said the music, area fire departments and EMT’s, and royalty resulted in a great mix for the parade.

The Fun Fest wrapped up with music by the Mages Family Band, Bi-County Baseball, and a raffle drawing with a grand prize of $3,000.