Tiny trailers filled the Red River Exhibition grounds just outside city limits this weekend. 

 Around 250 Boler trailers with "Winnipeg or Bust" signs in their windows were on display, to celebrate the 50th birthday of the small camping trailers, which were invented in Winnipeg by Ray Olecko in 1968. 

"He had a patent for a septic tank, but he took the tank, turned it over and put wheels and a frame on it and now you have a Boler," event co-host Rick Mooynan said in front of his trailer, which he and his wife Shirley use on their camping trips. "We pull into a gas station anywhere and people come up to us and ask us about it. Everybody has a story or a memory of camping in a Boler." 

"Retro is in, and it doesn't get more retro than this." 

Rick and Shirley say the Boler convention is unique for events similar it, in that none of the trailers are simply for display. The people who came to Winnipeg traveled here with their Bolers and continue to use them. 

"They're lightweight, easy to tow and you can do change things inside or on the outside," Shirley said. "You go around to different meets and there's always something different to do to your Boler and that's cool." 

"Everyone's customizing now," Rick said, adding people from all over North America came to Winnipeg for this event. "We have people from B.C., Florida and the furthest away is Newfoundland."

One couple that travelled quite a way was Jeff and Kathy Soseman from central Iowa, who drove their green and white Scamp trailer - an offshoot of the Boler - to Dryden before making their way to Winnipeg. 

"We got this in 2013 because we love camping but the dogs kept getting out of our tent," Jeff said with a laugh. "There's quite a few smaller rallies but this is the biggest one we've been to and you have a common theme and interest that brings everyone together. You get to talk to people and learn new things so it's a lot of fun." 

Elaine Ballard didn't travel quite as far as the Soseman's, making the trek from Saskatoon with her trailer. 

She says her 1968 Boler was the 10th one ever made. 

"I just wanted a small camper that I could haul and set up by myself so I did a little work on this one but tried to keep it as original as possible and this is my 5th year camping with it," Ballard said. "My husband used to camp with me. He doesn't anymore but that's OK because it's small enough that I can use it by myself." 

Ballard says "Boleramas" take place all over Canada, but this is the biggest one she's been to. 

"It's just been a really good time."