Buckley and the Old Engine Show
Each August, Buckley fills with working antique engines, farm machinery, and visitors for a show that began with a local gathering in 1967.
For most of the year, Buckley is a quiet village near the Grand Traverse County line. Then the Old Engine Show arrives, and the place fills with steam whistles, working machinery, and visitors who want to see how farm and industrial equipment once moved.
It began in 1967, when a group of local enthusiasts met at Joe Rebman’s farm to run old engines and equipment. The gathering drew neighbors, and the group formed the nonprofit Northwest Michigan Engine & Thresher Club. After a few years, the club bought 70 acres west of town and started building permanent exhibits.
The club says the grounds now cover more than 200 acres and its membership has grown past 550 families. Its current schedule reads like a working-history town. There is an 1800s sawmill, a veneer mill, threshing and baling, a foundry, a machine shop, train rides, and demonstrations of large engines. The organizer also reports tens of thousands of visitors over the show. It says Buckley’s population grows from a few hundred to several thousand.
This is an event to plan, not just a roadside stop. Use the organizer’s current calendar and rules; both can change from year to year.
Where to see it
The showgrounds are at 6090 W 2 1/2 Road, about a mile west of M-37 in Buckley. Check the organizer's current show page for dates, admission, camping rules, and schedule changes.
Sources
Last reviewed against the listed sources: July 16, 2026.