Parades of antique tractors and big-rigs trucks will come rumbling across the Mackinac Bridge Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19, during the second annual Antique Tractor Show and 18th annual Richard Crane Memorial Big Rig Truck Show in St. Ignace. The two parades and subsequent truck and tractor shows will take over State Street, Little Bear East Arena, and Kewadin Casino parking lots through Sunday, September 20.

Tractors Will Parade

Across Bridge Friday

Hundreds of antique tractors are scheduled to gather in Mackinaw City early Friday morning to parade across the bridge at 10 a.m. Two weeks prior to the event, 816 tractors had already pre-registered for the parade and show, up from 627 tractor in the show's inaugural year in 2008.

After crossing the bridge at about 10 miles per hour, the tractors will parade through downtown St. Ignace toward the casino, where they will be on public display the rest of the weekend. The Southeast Michigan Antique Tractor and Equipment Association from Dundee will lead the parade across the bridge and through town. The club was selected to lead the parade in a drawing during an organizational meeting early last month.

"It's going to be a long parade," said Ed Reavie, owner of Nostalgia Productions, which produces the concurrent shows. "The tractor people just want to be on that bridge. They can't do it anywhere else."

About 33 hours after the hundreds of antique tractors parade across the bridge toward the casino, dozens of semi-trucks will get their chance to pass over the Straits of Mackinac. Mr. Reavie said he expects about 100 big rigs to enter into this year's parade and show.

"We never know until Friday afternoon" how many semitrucks are going to enter the show, he said. "About 98% of these guys are out working until the last hour. Then they drive all night just in time to be judged here." Truck Show Parade of Lights

Is Saturday Evening

The trucks will take over State Street September 18, 19, and 20, between Truckey and Marquette streets, as well as in the Little Bear East parking lot. Once the trucks park downtown on that Friday, they will turn on their running lights to be judged for the best display. After being on display all day Saturday, the trucks will parade across the Mackinac Bridge going south, through Mackinaw City, then back over the bridge to St. Ignace, where they will come through town on State Street. The lights along State Street and at Little Bear East will be turned off so that the running lights of the trucks can shine more brightly and illuminate the city.

Mr. Reavie is expecting working and show trucks to come from all over the Midwest, many from in Michigan, as well as several from Canada to enter into the show. Last year, 97 trucks entered.

Awards for best of show truck and truck-tailer combination will be awarded to two trucks at the end of the show, with each truck winning $1,000 courtesy of the International Trucking School.

The 18th annual On the Waterfront swap meet, toy, and car show, featuring station wagons and four-door automobiles, will take over the Mackinac Grille and Star Line Dock parking lots on South State Street during the weekend. There, truck and automobile enthusiasts can peruse and purchase automotive parts and auto-related toys.

Mr. Reavie said the tractor and big-rig shows probably attract more spectators from further away by working together than each would alone.

"We kind of feed off of each other for crowds and [spectator] interest," he said. "If you like things with wheels, this is the place to be."