Midwest Shrine Association (MSA) Temples

Imperial Sessions

Midwest Shrine Association was created to engender greater fellowship among the several M.S.A. Shrine Chapters and their members and to secure greater recognition of the institution of the Shrine throughout the territory of this association.

The Imperial Shrine of North America recognizes about 20 regional Shrine Associations. These Associations allow individual Shrine Chapters to join together for fun, fellowship and camaraderie. It also allows Shriners an opportunity to share ideas on how to improve Shrinedom in their areas. At many of the Association conventions Shrine Chapter Units compete against one another for who is the best, Chanters, Bands, Clowns, Motorized Units, Pipes & Drums, Foot Patrols, Horse Units, etc.

Today the Midwest Shrine Association has 14 Shrine Chapters as members from the States of Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Also Chapters from the Canadian Providence of Saskatchewan and Manitoba belong. These 14 Chapters have a combined membership of about 20,000 Shriners.

The Midwest Shrine Association holds an annual business meeting in early February. Those attending are normally the Shrine Chapter Officers along with committee heads that have an interest in topics to be covered at the session. Average attendance is about 250 Shriners. The summer session is normally held in mid to late August, on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The sessions usually includes two major all Shriner parades and time for Shrine Unit competition. All MSA Shriners are invited to attend. In recent years attendance has averaged 2000 to 2500, of which two-thirds are Shriners and the balance Shriners Ladies. A different Chapter hosts these meeting each year.