RAPID RIVER — Main Street in Rapid River will be filled with vintage and antique snowmobiles this Friday, Jan. 24, and Saturday, Jan. 25, for the 19th annual Rapid River Relic Riders Annual Vintage and Antique Snowmobile Show and Swap.

This year, the event features red, white, or blue sleds.

Relic Riders, a non-profit, began in 2007 as a small group of snowmobile and sled enthusiasts but has grown into a huge event, drawing people from downstate Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and even Canada.

Relic Riders President David Shope said he and a few other guys took over the show that had been going on in Rock each year.

“They weren’t planning on having it that next year in 2007, so we decided to start our own show; that’s how it got started, actually. It was me and Scott Nieuwenkamp and Mark Caswell that started the Rapid River Relic Riders,” Shope said.

Now, it has grown into a sizeable community-wide event with hundreds of entries into the show.

“It’s a great group; we got a lot of younger people (who) joined (and) you know, we do a lot, there’s a lot of work involved, people don’t realize how much work is involved in pulling this thing off, and I love doing it. I’ll do anything I have to do to make it come together,” Shope said.

The event kicks off on Friday, Jan. 24, with registration from 9 until 11:30 a.m. in the Quality Plumbing building.

As an entry fee, participants are asked to bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation to be donated to local charities.

After the conclusion of the national anthem, the ride departs at noon. The route follows the trail to the Gladstone Ski Hill, where a catered lunch will be provided through a donation by Kevin Beaver.

“I don’t even know what’s all on the menu, but it’s good stuff,” Shope said.

After venturing out to Gladstone, the group will return for a bonfire around 4:30 p.m.

“My shop there across from Sall Mars where the houses are in Rapid River; that whole field will be full of snowmobiles, trailers, trucks, and we’ve got a big bonfire set up,” Shope said.

The Relic Riders show will be held on Saturday on Main Street in Rapid River. Entry is $5 per participant, and individuals may register as many sleds as they want.

Registration is inside the Lions Club from 9 a.m. until about noon.

Shope said turnout depends on the weather but said he expects a great turnout.

“We fill that whole street; there could be 100, 150 sleds parked on the main street, and again, it all depends on the weather,” he said.

A raffle, silent auction, and live auction will also be held at the Lions Club on Saturday. Most of the items being raffled and auctioned off have been donated by members of the Relic Riders or the community. There will even be a live auctioneer at the event.

He said there will also be sleds indoors for those who can’t or prefer not to venture outside.

Around 3:30 p.m., trophies will be awarded for various categories for adults as well as the youth.

“If you win a trophy, you’re also going to win a knife from Rapid River Knife Works,” Shope said. After trophies are awarded, it’s time for the can raffle drawing, including the raffle ticket grand prize, a Sno-Prince snowmobile.

Shope encourages everyone to come out for the event, especially families.

“Tell all your friends, tell them to bring their kids downtown, and get a ride on an old snowmobile, and they got a chance to win (a raffle),” he said.

The event is made possible by Rapid River Relic Riders, the Lions Clubs, Rapid River Knife Works, Visit Escanaba, and many more businesses, organizations, and individuals.

For more information, visit the organization’s Facebook page at Rapid River Relic Riders.