The Midnight Sun Street Rod Association (MSSRA) was 
founded in the fall of 1974 by ten street rodders and 
incorporated in 1979. Today, the MSSRA is the largest and 
most active car club in the State of Alaska with over 200 
members and growing.

While MSSRA is a street rod club at heart, it is unique in 
that it is an open vehicle club. Members have muscle cars, 
sports cars, street machines, trucks, original cars, and of 
course, street rods. Many of the MSSRA events are 
attended by members of other clubs such as the Antique 
Motor Mushers, Air Cooled Club, Valley Cruzers, and 
Corvette Club or those who may not be a member of any 
club.

The largest car event in the State is the Jay Ofsthun 
Memorial Show and Shine, which is held the first Sunday in 
August every year. It was started in 1979 by MSSRA 
member Ed Park and Antique Auto Musher member Jay 
Ofsthun. The event takes place on the Park Strip in 
downtown Anchorage. The intent was to have a "Fun Day 
with Cars" at no cost to participants, no cost to spectators, 
and no stress of awards. It remains a free event today 
thanks to our major sponsor, NAPA Auto & Truck Parts. 
Participants come from all across Alaska, Canada, and the 
lower 48. We expect over 350 cars on display this year!

Each February, when the temperatures are freezing and 
the cars are in heated garages with a cover over them, 
some MSSRA participate in the Anchorage Fur Rondy 
Parade. Yes, street rods can drive on snow and ice. It’s in 
February of each year MSSRA has their annual Beach 
Party. This is a potluck dinner with tons of fun, prizes, and 
games. You gotta do something for fun in the winter!

The Summer Solstice party, affectionately called the 
Rumble, was started in 2000. Its held on June 21, the 
longest day of the year with 21 hours of daylight, and is 
multi-car picnic held under the midnight sun. The club with 
highest percentage of cars to members present wins the 
Rumble, a traveling plaque.

The MSSRA sponsors Thursday Night Cruises from late 
April to late September. In the beginning, a good cruise was 
having four to six cars show up. Then in the mid 90’s it 
started growing by a couple of cars a week all the way to an 
average of 50 cars we have today. Everyone shows up at a 
common location and then cruises through town to a local 
restaurant for dinner.

The club is active in local community activities as well by 
participating in several parades, smaller shows to help 
promote local business, providing rides for seniors at the 
local Pioneer (Retirement) Home, a Muscular Dystrophy 
Association (MDA) event and participating in charity 
fundraisers. In 2005 MSSRA raffled a 1970 GTO for Ronald 
McDonald House of Seattle rising over $21,000.