The Waconia Ride-In started out as the Vintage Snowmobile Club of America's Midwest Ride-in over 20 years ago. Today, it has grown to be the single largest and most comprehensive vintage snowmobile ride, show and swap in the world. Our corporate name is MWVSS, but people know us as "the Waconia Ride-In".
We are a non-profit organization, and we have partnered with the Carver County Sno-Runners, Chaska Sno-Hawks and the Westonka SnoBlazers snowmobile clubs to organize and put on this large event. Certainly other organizations contribute to our success:
Southwest Trails Assn.
Northwest Trails Assn.
Waconia Fire Department
Hamburg Fire Department
Waconia Lions
Watertown Lions
MnUSA Region 8
South Tonka Snowmobile Club
Proceeds from the Waconia Ride-In go back into the snowmobile community for snowmobile training, trail grooming and more. On occasion, we focus on a special fund as our budget allows. This has included:
- a fund for Ed DeVault, who died racing snowmobiles a few years back.
- donation to the Snowmobile Hall of Fame & Museum, in memory of C.J. Ramstad
- donations to vintage snowmobile brethren whose families are in need
CONTACT US @ waconia99@gmail.com
or call our hot line at 1+(651) 649-4688
Our success and strength comes from sharing the load in putting on this great event. By breaking the tasks down into manageable pieces, each Committee person can make an important contribution without being burdened by overload.
Please consider giving back to your favorite sport. Our Committee is a fun and energetic bunch and we would love to hear from you. Our Committee is more than just our winter event. We enjoy a summer picnic, and we get together at fall swap meets such as Princeton and Hay Days. We focus on fun and camaraderie and together, our event is greater than the sum of its parts.
So e-mail, call or visit with any Committee member. We are proud of what the Waconia Ride-In has become and invite you to become a part of it.
One of our very active Committee members has received the highest honor from the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Assn. (MnUSA)
Jack Speckel has distinguished himself through volunteerism benefitting modern, vintage and antique snowmobilers! Click here to read the impressive press release.
Quite apart from being Secretary and Website Manager for the Waconia Rode-In Committee, Valdi Stefanson has received recognition for his humanitarian efforts serving the poor in several South American countries.
Valdi received Rotary’s Service Above Self award. It is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a Rotarian, and worldwide only 150 Rotarians (out of 1.2 million) were selected to receive this year’s award. Valdi is active with International service projects that serve people in need --- providing clean water, hospital supplies and school equipment in Guyana, Bolivia and Nicaragua.
Rotary is a service organization of business professionals that promise high ethical conduct and volunteer service in community, region and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto ‘Service Above Self”.
Additionally, Valdi serves as host of the popular OLD IRON dvd series that features vintage and antique snowmobiling.