May 23, 2011 – Arctic Cat to celebrate 50th anniversary in July

PowersportsBusinessMay 26, 2011

Arctic Cat will celebrate the brand’s 50th anniversary as thousands of loyal Arctic Cat enthusiasts converge July 29-30 in Thief River Falls, Minn. The celebration will be open to the public, and all events are free.

Arctic Cat’s 50th marks a major milestone, which began in 1961 when Edgar Hetteen founded Polar Manufacturing in Thief River Falls. There he began producing snowmobiles that reflected his dreams. One year later he changed the company name to Arctic Cat and began a series of innovations that transformed hulking snow “machines” into small, playful snowmobiles.

Arctic Cat has two days of non-stop activities planned, with the central location sharing space between the Pennington County Fairgrounds and the Ralph Engelstad Arena. Highlights will include:

Factory tours on Friday and Saturday

The world’s largest Arctic Cat product display called “Years of the Cat,” which will be open to all Arctic Cat-related products regardless of model or year

An Arctic Cat-only swap meet

ATV and UTV demo tracks

Special 50th anniversary clothing and memorabilia will be sold

Autograph sessions with Team Arctic heroes

Race truck displays

Several events for kids, plus music, food and much more

For a listing of local lodging and camping opportunities in Thief River Falls, log on to www.visittrf.com. For other nearby areas, go to www.visitcrookston.com, www.visitgrandforks.com or www.shootingstar.com.

If you are interested in the swap meet or showcasing product in the “Years of the Cat” display, contact Joel Hallstrom at jhallstrom@arcticcatinc.com. PSB