The season for summer events is back, and this weekend there should be lots of fun in store in Marshall and Russell. The Shades of the Past car club will be cruising around Marshall on Friday night, before their annual show Saturday. In Russell, Bandwagon Days also starts up Friday night, and runs through Sunday with events ranging from rodeo and bull riding to a kickball tournament.

The Shades of the Past show has become an event that draws people to Marshall to check out all kinds of classic cars, trucks and motorcycles, said club president Wayne Mack.

“We’re on our 39th year, and people look forward to it every year,” Mack said. “We’ve been getting a lot of calls.”

The annual cruise in Marshall will start at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and registration for the car show starts Saturday morning behind Runnings.

This year, more than 70 entries have pre-registered for the show, Mack said. This year’s show highlights Camaros and Firebirds, and there will also be some additional special displays. Some of the cars at the show will include law enforcement vehicles, and a Chevelle drag racing car owned by Mike Devos, Mack said.

“We’ll have a lot of little activities going on all day long,” Mack said. Some of those activities include Hot Wheels races for kids and prize drawings. The Minnesota Street Rod Association will be offering safety inspections for cars participating in the show too. Mack said one contest will be new this year.

“We’re going to do a grocery cart price guessing game,” he said. Visitors can guess the price of a cart full of items from Runnings, for a chance to win the cart.

Community fun at Bandwagon Days

Russell area residents are looking forward to events like rodeo, live music and games this weekend as part of Bandwagon Days.

“I think people are really excited about it,” said Hilary Buchert, one of the Bandwagon Days organizers. “And we’re excited to hear it’s going to be nice weather this weekend.”

Bandwagon Days will feature a variety of events, including some crowd-pleasers from past years. Rodeo and bull riding will return this weekend, starting with a ranch rodeo on Friday evening. Ranch rodeo events showcase the kinds of riding and roping skills used in cattle ranching. On Saturday, there will be more rodeo excitement with bull riding and mini bull riding.

A relatively new event is making its return to Bandwagon Days on Saturday, Buchert said. The second annual Bandwagon Days kickball tournament will start Saturday morning at the Russell city ball field. “We have more teams signed up this year, so that’s kind of exciting,” she said.

On Saturday night, the band IV Play will perform. “They usually bring a big crowd in,” Buchert said.

Bandwagon Days continues on Sunday with a car show, a fishing tournament for kids, and the Bandwagon Days Parade.

Area community members come together to make Bandwagon Days a success, Buchert said. “We get a lot of support from all our residents, and even surrounding towns and businesses,” she said.

Schedules of events

Shades of the Past Car Show and Cruise

Friday

6 p.m. – Cruise lineup on Baseline Road (behind Runnings)

6:30 – Cruise around Marshall

Saturday

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Car show, located behind Runnings in Marshall. Show registration starts at 8 a.m.

Russell Bandwagon Days

Friday

5-8 p.m. – Kids’ inflatables at the school park

6:30 – Birch Coulee Ranch Rodeo. Free admission. Food and beverages available.

Saturday

9 a.m. – Kickball tournament at city ball field

9:30 – Kids’ tractor pull sign-ups on South 2nd Street

9-Noon – Coffee and rolls served at the Community Center by the Ladies of Grace First Parish

9-2 – Vendor event at Community Center and school park

10-5 – Kids’ inflatables at the school park

11-1 – Face painting at the school park

Noon – Hog roast sponsored by Russell Fire Department

Noon – Cow bingo

1-2 p.m. – Bingo

5 – Bierema Rodeo Bull Riding and Mini Bull Riding. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for youth ages 7-17. Food and beverages available.

8-Midnight – IV Play performance under the tent. Admission is $10.

Sunday

8-11 a.m. – Breakfast under the tent. Free will donation.

9 – Community church service at Grace First Parish

10-Noon – Kids’ fishing tournament at the Russell lake parking lot

10:30-Noon – Car show on South Third Street

1 p.m. – Bandwagon Days Parade