Sometimes events don’t just move, they come home. That seems to be the philosophy behind the upcoming 2026 edition of the Midwest Ride-In, a fixture in the vintage snowmobile world often simply called “Waconia.” Although the name hasn’t changed, the location is getting a reboot: the 35th annual Ride-In will now take place January 30–31 at Dehn’s Pumpkins & Event Center—on the shores of 450-acre French Lake, not far from the Twin Cities.
And for longtime attendees, that “going back to roots” vibe might feel like déjà vu.
When the Ride-In began, sleds weren’t just displayed, they were ridden, raced, iced-over, and gas-fumed, often across frozen lakes that guaranteed float-on-ice action even when snow was scarce. Over the decades, as Waconia grew—the city expanding, land values rising—the Lake Waconia venue gave way to a land-locked ERX Motor Park in Elk River, where the event ran for five years starting in 2020. That move worked—until nature and logistics reminded everyone what they were missing: unpredictable snow, sprawling grounds, long walks between show zones, and dwindling magic.
