Hey guys, not sure if you know this, but I had a baby in Oct! That being said, I took a quick pause from the show circuit. During that pause, it occurred to me that I go to the same shows every year. Although it is GREAT for building friendships, everyone at these shows pretty much knows who I am. Looking for new shows that are fun, not real expensive for vendors AND aren't full of highfalutin cars that will make my traditional rod feel out of place. I am based out of Detroit area... and would pry be able to go up to 10 hours for a drive... Ideas! Fun stuff to do? Looking forward to meeting more cool people too!
Unless you're willing to travel you will be stuck going to the same shows. GOOGLE "car shows" and see if anything comes up that you weren't aware of. Having a baby might slow you down but when it gets a few teeth and starts sleeping all night it gets better.
Frog Follies in Evansville IN in late august. 4-5,000 pre 48 cars, huge swap meet. $15 entry fee gets you 2 wrist bands, a tee shirt, one continental breakfast, a ham dinner and a chance at a 32 roadster. Best show we go to. Next is the Pumpkin Run just east of Cincinnati the first weekend of Oct. Similar situation with about 3,000 cars. You already missed the Vintage Torque Fest in Dubuque, Iowa but it is worth the trip as is The Iron Invasion in Woodstock ILL
Be a little stretch but the Jalopy Showdown is the ***s! That might be right at 10hrs, quite a few up your way make the trip.
I'm also in Detroit area. You may already have some of these on your list. Coldwater is this weekend. Not strictly traditional. Good swap. Beatersville in Louisville, KY May 24. H****n's Island Invasion May 30. Sins of Steel June 6. Billetproof at Milan Dragway June 13. Road Rocket Rumble in Indy June 25-27. ***** Raid July 25. Relix Riot at Gilmore Museum August 15. Hamtramck Hustle August 22. Jalopyfest, Morris, IL September 11-12. Rebel Run, Lima, OH September 17-20.
Rust Revival in Wayland, MO is about 9 hours from Detroit. It's a good time and traditional. There is a link on here for more info. http://rustrevival.com/ SPark
Ditto on E-ville, one of the best "hot rod" shows in the country. They draw 3-4 thousand cars. Back the fifties in Minn is supposed to be pretty good. Beatersville is like nothing I've ever been to. I just wouldn't miss it. Tim
I always said if the Good Lord said I could only do one show a year, it would be hands down Frog Follies at Evansville, BUT the NHRA Hot Rod Reunion in Bowling Green, KY is starting to push to the top of my list! Joe
This is a small show my club helps with. Right at 10 hours. Put on by a woman named Rene Darmstadt http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/retro-rally-kingston-n-y-june-6-15.973067/#post-10971421
If you have never attended Back To The 50's in St. Paul, Minnesota I highly recommend you do so! Every June over 12,000 Hot Rods (1964 and older, no Mustangs) fill the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. The show runs Friday - Sunday. Every vendor under the sun is there, swap meet Sunday, and many HAMB friendly traditional style hot rods. Back To The 50's 2015 June 19, 20, 21 This show should be on everyone's bucket list.
Charleston Rod Run & Doo Wop in Charleston, WV. is an 8 hour trip. Sept.30th - Oct. 4th., 2015 1000 car limit, swap meet, live concerts each night, Shop at Doo Wop (women's world), Racer Row drag car cacklefest, seminars, fireworks, scenic road tour on Friday. $25 registration prior to Sept 1st gets an event shirt, dash plaque, goodie bag, Thursday night dinner and chance on 2 drawings for $1000 and 1 drawing for $500. Voted top #3 large venue car show in 2014 by Cruisn' Times magazine. 2014 had cars from 17 states (including Michigan) and Canada. Check out the show at www.charlestonwvcarshow.com
2015 Traditional Rod & Kustom & Cycle Shows Jan 10 Retro Rewind Cars & Guitars & Fuel Injected Film Festival Dubuque IA Jan 23-25 Grand National Roadster Show Pomona CA Feb 1 Bare Bones CC Polar Bear Cruise Chicago Feb 13-15 The One Motorcycle Show, Portland OR Feb 14-16 Sacramento Autorama (Saturday - Monday) Feb 21-22 Mama Tried Motorcycle Show Milwaukee March 7 Houston Hellions Hoedown March 6-8 Detroit World of Wheels Ba*****t March 5-8 March Meet Famosa April 2-5 Viva Las Vegas April 11 Hippy Killer Hoedown April 17-18 Lonestar Roundup Austin TX May 1-2 Vintage Torque Fest Dubuque Iowa May 1-3 Stray Kat Kustoms Dewey OK May 10 Mothers Day May 16 Jalopy Showdown Latimore PA May 15-16 Rust Revival Wayland MO June 5-6 Kustom Kulture Forever - Germany (formerly Bottrop) May 23-24 West Coast Kustoms Santa Maria, CA May 22-24 Bourbon Blitzkrieg Run May 24 Beatersville Louisville KY June 13 Tin Butchers S**** Drive Belvidere IL June 13-15 Hot Rod Reunion KY June 13 Mods V Rockers Chicago June 13 Custom Car Revival Indy June 13-14 LA Roadster Show June 19-21 Back to the 50's June 28 Gears and Ears Yorkville IL June 27-28 Born Free Motorcycle Show LA July 10-11 Blue Ribbon Beer Run Milwaukee July 17-19 Meltdown Drags Byron July 23-26 KKOA Salina KS July 25 Piston Jammers ***** Raid July 31/Aug 1 Milltown MA Aug 7-8 Symco Shakedown WI Aug 10-16 Speed Week Bonneville Aug 15 Relix Riot Gilmore Auto Museum MI Aug 15 White Knuckle Scramble - Vintage Mini Bike Racing Aug 15 HAMB Drags Aug 22 Cheaters CC Cheaterama Milwaukee WI Sept 4-6 Davenport Bike Swap and Antique Races Sept 5/6 Greaserama Sept ??? Starliner Wichita KS Sept ??? Mississippi Mayhem Sept 19 Brooklyn Invitational Custom Motorcycle Show Sept 25-27 Rodder's Journal Revival Oct 2-3 Iron Invasion Oct 2-3 Race of Gentlemen Oct 10 Hunnert Heads Up Byron IL Oct 9-10 Barber Vintage Motorcycle Races Oct 16-18 Hot Rod Reunion Bakersfield Oct 17 Jalopyrama MD Nov 3-6 SEMA Mooneyes Japan is usually first Sunday in December Mooneyes Christmas Party is the following weekend Stay tuned to Billetproof.com for the 2015 dates for FL, CA, WA Other shows for cl***ic cars: see autorama.com nsra-usa.com good-guys.com
If you want something a little different, there's the White Knuckle Scramble #3 is on July 25 in Norway, IL (about an hour south of Chicago), close to I-80. Vintage go kart and vintage minibike races on a paved twisty course and drag racing. WhiteKnuckleScramble.com
Hershey remains an ultimate of one sort; it is worth conquering the distance just to see an impossibly large and varied city on neat old stuff, the sort of place where you might be run over by an 1897 Phelps-Pilkington while looking at 1936 Harley parts spread out between a Lagonda and a '57 Chevy.
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