Event Coverage Central US events worth attending?

Hello all.
Where are all the best hot rod happenings this year (2026) in the central U.S.?

I’m in Rapid City, SD and don’t mind driving up to 10-15 hours or so for a worthy event.

Not looking for just a car show but something multi-day with cruises, reliability runs, nostalgia racing, etc…

 

I’m ***uming you’ve participated in The Counts of Cobblestone event right there in Rapid City?
The Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green in June fits the bill.

 

Frog Follies the end of August in Evansville, IN is always a good one.

 

StrayKat 500 in Dewey, OK in May, Gathering at the Roc in Bartlesville, OK in October, Custom Car Revival in Indianapolis in June (I think?), uh…I’m not thinking of some of the others.

 

Bowling Green KY would be more then 10 hours from Rapid City SD, Indianapolis IN & Evansville IN would be pushing it. I'd think some places in OK would be getting close to that 10 hour drive as well.

Probably needs to be west of the Mississippi, north of the southern boarder on KS, and east of the Rockies.

 

x2 on the Stray Kat 500 in Dewey OK....1st of May ...see you there Ken....
https://www.straykatkustoms.com/stray-kat-500

 

Gathering at the Roc is a do not miss event!

 

Gathering at the roc is nearly the only event I even both with anymore. Gotta go Thurs-Sunday and do it all!

 

If you’re going to go the distance. I’ve enjoyed both the gathering at the roc and custom car revival.

 

Vintage Torque Fest in Dubuque, Iowa.
May 1st and 2nd.
Cool cars, live bands, mini bikes, dirt drags and more.
My favorite show of the year.

 

I ***ume you're familiar with Back to The Fifties in Minneapolis, 3rd weekend of June. (Hope the ICE riots are cooled down by then.) There's also Mississippi Mayhem right across southern MN., over in West Salem Wisconsin in September.

Roger

 

The counts rod run is not what it used to be. It used to happen in the hills through a weekend but now it’s mainly at their clubhouse and most activities are through the week. Tough for the working man to attend it now.
It’s not worth vacation time.

 

I have attended BTT 50’s

 

Good chance GATR is gonna get put on the calendar.
Also just saw the meltdown drags are happening.