NEW ULM — Classic cars, motorcycles, music, food trucks and crowds filled downtown New Ulm Saturday evening for the New Ulm Downtown Car & Bike Roll-In. Many car enthusiasts set their chairs out along the sidewalks close to their cars, so that anyone passing by could stop and talk.

“Visiting is my favorite part of the show,” said Robin Kramer, owner of a shiny, red 1951 Chevy Deluxe.

Kramer worked on the Chevy’s remodel with his son, but some things, like the car’s headliner, had to be taken into the shop. Like most of the cars at the Roll-In, the Chevy was a summer car, driven only until the first snow.

“When I see that there’s snow coming, I take it out for one long last drive,” said Kramer.

Ian McFarland sits in his IROC-Z at the Downtown Car & Bike Roll-In Saturday evening.

Ian McFarland agreed that summer driving was the best part of having a classic car. He spent about eight years rebuilding his IROC-Z with his friend, James Sowers.

“I haven’t driven it too far yet,” said McFarland, “the engine needed some work. It should be good now, though.”

Bryce Boelter, AKA Herman the German, and this year’s Bavarian Blast parade’s grand marshal loves driving his Mustang 5.0 to car shows.

“I got the car in 2015. I like to take it to South Dakota Labor Day weekend for the Mustang Rally; there’s hundreds of mustangs there. Car shows are great because you meet wonderful people and hear wonderful stories. Car stories lead to family stories, lead to all kinds of stories,” said Boelter.

Like Ron Ubl and his wife, Renee, who bought their van in 1973, three years after they were married. It was a work van, originally, but they took a year to fix up the interior with carpet, seats, a window, and hardwood cabinets. They drove the car to California and Florida on road trips, and according to Ron Ubl, it had never seen a snowflake in all the years they owned it.

Rob Ubl with his 1973 Fargo Canadian Dodge B100.

Ron Ubl showed off the 1973 Fargo Canadian Dodge B100 van and some Minions. He created the cartoon figures out of old scrap metal, children’s gloves and paint. They proudly hung out in the back of green and white shag carpeted van.

“We drove this with a playpen in the back. The kids were born in 1976–they grew up in the van,” said Ron Ubl.

The next Car & Bike Roll-In is August 16, 2025. For more details, please visit Newulm.com.

Motorcycles cruising along New Ulm’s downtown streets Saturday evening at the Downtown Car & Bike Roll-In

Saturday evening at New Ulm’s Downtown Car & Bike Roll-In.

Bryce Boelter and his 2013 Ford Mustang 5.0.