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Published on 2 Comments on Central Ohio Car Shows and Motorcycle Events | October 26 to November 1, 2026
1970 Chevy Nova - Owner: Mike Myers costume (aka Timmy Hooten).
1970 Chevy Nova - Owner: Mike Myers (aka Timmy Hooten)

October comes to an end this week, leaving only a handful of events remaining on the 2026 schedule. There are still a few Trunk or Treat events left before we put a lid on October, along with a handful of car shows and cruise-ins to kick off November.

This will be the final weekly list of Central Ohio car shows and motorcycle events for 2026. Next Monday, I’ll post the entire list of events for November, which will be the final event list of the year.

Monday (October 26th):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (October 27th):

Wednesday (October 28th):

Thursday (October 29th):

Friday (October 30th):

Saturday (October 31st):

Sunday (November 1st):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the remaining Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and motorcycle events still left on the schedule.

The season may be winding down, but there are still a few opportunities left to get out and enjoy the Central Ohio car and bike scene before 2026 comes to a close.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Remembering Brian Hinerman

The Central Ohio car community lost one of its own last week with the unexpected passing of Brian Hinerman on October 21.

Brian was the owner of Heiny’s Smoke Shack and a volunteer firefighter with the Duncan Falls Fire Department, but many in the local car community knew him simply as BK the DJ.

A longtime classic car enthusiast, Brian was a familiar face at car shows throughout Perry County and the surrounding area, frequently providing the music and announcing at local events. He was especially involved with the Moonshine Festival Car Show and the Duncan Falls Fire Department Car Show, helping make both events part of the local car-show tradition each year.

His unexpected passing leaves a tremendous void for his family, friends, fellow firefighters, and the many people who came to know him through the local car-show community.

A GoFundMe has been established in Brian’s memory to help his family during this difficult time.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to Brian’s family, friends, the Duncan Falls Fire Department, and everyone who had the pleasure of knowing BK the DJ. He will certainly be missed.

Picktown Palooza Ends after 10 Years:

In other news last week, organizers of Pickerington’s Picktown Palooza announced that the summer music and food festival will come to an end after 10 years. The decision also means the end of the car show that had become part of the annual event.

You can read more about the decision to end Picktown Palooza here.

Cap City Muscle & Classic Car Show:

The inaugural Cap City Muscle & Classic Car Show took place Saturday in Westerville. Show organizer Jess Biller had always wanted to host a car show and found the perfect location practically in his own backyard. He told me the parking lot behind his condo sits mostly empty on weekends and has room for approximately 80 vehicles, making it an ideal location for the show.

Being a first-year event, the organizers weren’t sure what kind of turnout to expect. To help gauge interest, participants were given the option to register online in advance without having to pay the registration fee.

With near-perfect weather and relatively few other shows taking place in the Columbus area at the same time, turnout exceeded expectations. The show registered 89 vehicles, with several participants traveling from as far away as Vermilion and Lima to attend. In addition to the $20 registration fee, the event featured door prize and 50/50 raffles, with all proceeds from the show benefiting Charity Newsies.

Eight awards were presented: Best All Original, Best Muscle, Best Classic, Best Modified, Best Truck, Best Engine Bay, Best Paint, and Best of Show.

Judging was handled by a five-person team that thoroughly examined each vehicle and awarded points in several areas, including the engine bay, interior, and exterior. Apparently, the judges were pretty tough, too. My friend Arch Mayer brought his Ford Mustang to the show, and one of the judges, who used to work with Arch, gave him a special judging sheet deducting points because the car was yellow, it was a Ford, and it “needed new shocks” — never mind that Arch’s Mustang rides on air suspension. All in good fun, of course.

Here are the award winners:

  • BEST TRUCK: 1965 Chevy C-10 Stepside - Mike & Sandy Willis
  • BEST MODIFIED: 1934 Chevy Master - Don & Viki Campbell
  • BEST PAINT: 1969 Ford Mustang- Chris & Ange Z.
  • BEST ENGINE: 1951 Ford F1 - Pete Lieb
  • BEST ALL ORIGINAL: 1967 Corvette Stingray - Dale Pearce
  • BEST CLASSIC: 1954 Chevy Bel Air - Steve Andrix
  • BEST MUSCLE: 1964 Pontiac GTO - Ron Cozzo

The Best of Show honors went to Pete Lieb and his 1951 Ford F1 pickup.

Here are the rest of the great rides that turned out for the inaugural Cap City Muscle & Classic Car Show:

For a first-time show, I thought Jess Biller and his team did a very good job, and they certainly lucked into some great weather for the end of October. My only criticism was awarding two of the eight awards to the same vehicle. With only eight awards available, I would have preferred to see eight different vehicles recognized.

But that’s part of putting on a show for the first time — live and learn. Overall, it was an impressive turnout and a very successful inaugural Cap City Muscle & Classic Car Show.

CONTINUE READING

Published on Leave a comment on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | October 19 – 25, 2026
1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Convertible - Owner: Jeff Herb
1970 Oldsmobile 442 W-30 Conv - Owner: Jeff Herb

As we head into the second to last week of October, the Central Ohio car and motorcycle season isn’t finished just yet. The schedule is definitely thinning out, especially during the week, as more of the regular weekly cruise-ins and bike nights wrap up for the year. Still, there are plenty of opportunities to get the car or bike out before the season comes to a close.

Saturday remains the busiest day with a dozen events on the schedule, including several Cars & Coffee gatherings, cruise-ins, shows, and a couple of Trunk or Treat events. Sunday adds another six events, with Halloween and Trunk or Treat themes becoming more prominent as we approach the end of the month. With November just around the corner, take advantage of these remaining October events while you can.

Monday (October 19th):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (October 20th):

Wednesday (October 21st):

Thursday (October 22nd):

Friday (October 23rd):

Saturday (October 24th):

Sunday (October 25th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the remaining Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and motorcycle events still left on the schedule.

The season may be winding down, but there are still a few opportunities left to get out and enjoy the Central Ohio car and bike scene before 2026 comes to a close.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Empty Pockets Trunk or Treat Car Show:

The Empty Pockets Cruisers Car Club hosted its annual Trunk or Treat Car Show at Hilliard Presbyterian Church in Hilliard on Saturday.

With temperatures in the mid-40s in the morning and barely breaking 50 degrees in the afternoon, this year’s show was a little more low-key than in years past. Attendance reached 77 vehicles by the close of registration, while the number of children trick-or-treating was about one-third of what the club normally sees.

If that wasn’t enough indication of how subdued things were, not a single adult entered the Best Costume competition this year. Fortunately, the kids came through, with plenty competing for Best Kids Costume.

This little bumblebee stole the show and was the crowd favorite.

The Club presented plaques to the Top 40 along with four Specialty Awards. The Specialty Awards included DJ's Choice, Sponsor's Choice, Empty Pockets Cruiser Choice, and Best Car Decoration.

As in past years, Jim McGruder served as the show’s DJ and selected Pete Lieb’s 1962 Dodge Dart Hemi station wagon for the DJ’s Choice award.

Sponsor's Choice went to Mark Evans with a 1969 Camaro SS.

Nick Barr's 1969 AMC Rebel received the Empty Pockets Cruisers Choice Award.

The Best Car Decoration went to Betty and Tom Lawrence with their 2008 Volkswagen Beetle. They also won the raffle for the 32" Visio Smart TV.

Here's a look at the rest of the cars from the show:

CONTINUE READING

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Published on 2 Comments on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | October 12 – 18, 2026
Featured car of the week: 1968 Pontiac GTO - Owner: Mike Kanoski
1968 Pontiac GTO - Owner: Mike Kanoski

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we’re down to the final four weekends of the 2026 Central Ohio car show season. The weekday events have definitely thinned out, but Saturdays and Sundays are still pretty full as the Trunk or Treat-themed events kick into high gear this week.

There’s still plenty of time to get out and enjoy a few more shows and cruise-ins before we officially put a wrap on this season, so don’t put those cars away just yet.

Monday (October 12th):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (October 13th):

Wednesday (October 14th):

Thursday (October 15th):

Friday (October 16th):

Saturday (October 17th):

Sunday (October 18th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

BGMC Car Show:

New Beginnings Assembly of God Church on Williams Road in Columbus was the site of the 9th Annual BGMC Car Show.

You may be asking, what is BGMC? BGMC stands for “Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge.” It’s the missions education program for kids in the Assemblies of God. Money raised through BGMC is used to provide Assemblies of God missionaries with the supplies they need to help people around the world.

Saturday’s show registered 58 vehicles. In addition to the $15 registration fee, there was also a 50/50 raffle and silent auction to help raise funds.

Round Town Radio provided the music, while hot dogs, chips, and drinks were available for a donation to anyone who was hungry or thirsty.

Awards included trophies for the Top 40 plus 10 Specialty Awards. Those included two Bike Favorites, Best Motorcycle, Best Truck, BGMC Award, Pastor’s Choice, Parker’s Choice, 3rd Place, 2nd Place Best of Show, and Best of Show. There were no motorcycles registered for this year’s show, however, so the motorcycle awards went unclaimed.

Here are the Specialty Award selections:

  • BGMC CHOICE: 1927 Dodge - John Andrews
  • PARKER'S CHOICE: 2020 Corvette Stingray - Jim McGruder
  • BEST TRUCK: 1965 Chevy C-10 Stepside - Mike & Sandy Willis
  • PASTOR'S CHOICE: 1956 Mercury - Jon Hager
  • 3rd PLACE: 1966 Ford F-100 - Mike Woods
  • 2ND PLACE: 1958 Chevy Del Ray - Chuck Kelley

For the second weekend in a row, Mark Enyart's 1962 Chevy Impala SS received Best of Show.

Here are the "Specialty" award winners and Jim McGruder and Parker.

Here are the rest of the vehicles that participated in the 9th Annual BGMC Car Show.

CONTINUE READING

2

Published on 2 Comments on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | October 5 – 11, 2026
1981 Chevy Malibu owned by Cathy and Rick Perry
1981 Chevy Malibu - Owners: Cathy & Rick Perry

While the weekly list of cruise-ins and bike nights continues to thin out, Saturday’s schedule still has plenty of events to choose from, including three in Chillicothe and a couple of big ones. Two of the more notable events are the Performance Charity Car Show in downtown Delaware and the C-10 Breakout in Plain City.

If you’re planning to attend the Hebron Nazarene Car & Truck Show on Saturday, be aware that the location has changed. The show has moved from the church to the old Bowman Automotive lot at 131 W. Main St. in Hebron.

Monday (October 5th):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (October 6th):

Wednesday (October 7th):

Thursday (October 8th):

Friday (October 9th):

Saturday (October 10th):

Sunday (October 11th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

The Der Dutchman Cruise-In closed out its 2026 season with its annual season-ending banquet on Thursday. One hundred sixty-two people pre-registered, and from the looks of things, there weren’t many empty chairs.

The servers did an excellent job making sure everyone’s drinks stayed full and there were plenty of napkins at each table. Most of the servers had helped serve food at the cruise-in at least once during the season.

As always, Wayne Nisly was an excellent host. After the meal, he presented some statistics comparing this year’s cruise-in season with 2025. The weather definitely presented some challenges, especially during August and September.

  • There were 11 cruise-ins this year compared to 12 in 2025.
  • A total of 5,564 cars attended this year, an increase of 816 over last year.
  • There were four rainouts this year, exactly the same number as in 2025.
  • Two cruise-ins were canceled because of wet grounds, also the same as last year.
  • The highest attendance at a single cruise-in was 551 cars, compared to 507 in 2025.
  • There were 301 first-timers this year compared to 259 last year.

At the end of the evening, Der Dutchman Cruise-In T-shirts and “Thank You for Your Attendance” plaques were made available to anyone who wanted one or both.

Wayne is now off for a well-deserved vacation. Despite the weather challenges, it was another great year for the cruise-in. There were lots of great cars, great friends and new friendships that came out of those 11 Thursday evenings.

I’ll go through a few weeks of withdrawal—I always do—getting used to having Thursday evenings free until next May.

Richwood Bank Cofee & Cars:

Richwood Bank in Delaware held its final Coffee and Cars Cruise-In of the season on Saturday morning.

Around 25 vehicles turned out for the final cruise-in of the year.

As usual, the coffee bar inside the bank was ready to prepare your favorite morning brew, which was especially welcome considering the sub-50-degree morning temperatures.

The cruise-in wrapped up with the door prize raffle featuring towels, ratchet tie-downs, coffee mugs, pizza coupons and, for the big prize, a basket of car care products and a fifth of Boone County bourbon.

Coffee and Cars will return to the Delaware branch of Richwood Bank sometime in May or June 2027.

CONTINUE READING

Published on Leave a comment on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | September 28 – October 4, 2026
1965 Ford Mustang - Owner: Bart Drumm

As we head into the first weekend of October, the schedule starts to thin out as many of the weekly and monthly cruise-ins and bike nights wrap up for the season. However, there are still plenty of events to choose from on Saturday and Sunday.

The Der Dutchman Cruise-In concludes its season with its annual banquet on Thursday, while Boots and the Auto Smarts Radio Cruise and Ride Tour call it a year Sunday at Moose Lodge 1427.

There’s one more full Saturday of events coming up on October 10 before the schedule drops off considerably as the leaves change and the weather starts to cool.

Monday (September 28th):

Tuesday (September 29th):

Wednesday (September 30th):

Thursday (October 1st):

Friday (October 2nd):

Saturday (October 3rd):

Sunday (October 4th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

Soggy fields, tall grass, and no food sales couldn’t discourage 317 vehicles from attending the final Der Dutchman Cruise-In of the season Thursday evening.

The day started out a little “iffy,” but by early afternoon, something no one had seen for four days appeared in the sky. I think it’s called the sun.

It’s been a roller coaster year for the cruise-in weather-wise. We started in May with temperatures in the 50s, fought through multiple weeks of 90-plus-degree temperatures, and had two weeks canceled because the fields were too wet for cars, with several more that could have easily been canceled because of all the rain this summer.

Despite all that, Thursday evenings were still something to look forward to—hanging out with friends and checking out all the beautiful and unique vehicles on display.

Here’s a look at some of the rides that made it out to the final cruise-in of 2026.

Dan the Man Car Show:

Saturday saw the 3rd Annual Dan the Man Car Show, held in memory of Daniel Chapman, who passed away in 2023. Dan enjoyed racing Mustangs, riding his motorcycle, and attending car shows.

The show took place in Alexandria and registered 105 vehicles. The $20 registration fee was collected as participants drove into the show and included two raffle tickets. One ticket served as proof that the registration fee had been paid. The second, along with five additional tickets given at registration, gave each participant six chances to win a 65-inch Vizio flat-screen TV.

Additional tickets could be purchased for a silent auction and 50/50 drawing. All proceeds from the show benefit First Descents, which offers free programs to young adults impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions.

Live musical entertainment was provided by the Jesse Blankenship Band. Several food trucks were on hand to satisfy anyone’s hunger or thirst, while a bounce house gave the kids a place to blow off some energy.

There were 39 awards given out at the end of the show. These included awards for the Top 25 with the remaining 14 being custom made by Bill Kelly.

Here are the Specialty selections:

  • KID'S CHOICE: 1968 Pontiac CTO - Craig Gallagher
  • JOLLY PIRATE DONUTS' CHOICE: 1970 Dodge Challenger 6 Pack - Bob Meldahl
  • BEST EXOTIC: 2023 Jaguar F Type - Russell Fish
  • BEST CLASSIC TRUCK: 1950 Chevy 3100 - Richard Dunbar
  • BEST OFF-ROAD BUGGY: 2019 Polaris XP 1000 Turbo - Steve Miller
  • BEST TOY: 2022 Polaris R2R Turbo - Matt Miller
  • TOP TRUCK: 1983 Chevy K-10 - Jim Budd
  • TOP CAR: 1968 Chevy Corvette - Jim Bickel
  • MOST UNIQUE: 1939 Dodge Repo-Wrecker - Doug Dever
  • BEST MOTORCYCLE: 2026 Harley-Davidson Street Glide - Rick Wilson
  • BEST RAT ROD: 1954 Chevy Rat Rod Wrecker - James Crites

Best of Show honors went to Steve Kidwell and Nancy with their 1965 Pontiac GTO.

The most important award of the show was Daniel's Pick which Mike Smith's 1966 Pontiac Catalina received.

It turned out to be a beautiful day for a car show, and there were certainly a lot of high-quality rides on display. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention two of the more unique vehicles in attendance.

The first was a 1998 Subaru Sambar Volkswagen Mini Van conversion. At first, I thought the windshield placard was a mistake, but the rear of the vehicle does indeed have a Subaru emblem.

The second was a Hummer kit car pulling a speed boat. Definitely not something you’d see at most car shows.

Both of these are examples of what makes attending shows in some of the smaller communities around Central Ohio so great. You just never know what you’re going to see.

CONTINUE READING

Published on Leave a comment on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | September 21 – 27, 2026
This week's featured vehicle is a 2021 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss - Owner: Jeff Ward
2021 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss - Owner: Jeff Ward

As we head into the final full week of September, many weekly and monthly events will be holding their final gatherings of the season. The largest of these will be the Der Dutchman Cruise-In in Plain City, which wraps up the outdoor portion of its 2026 season on Thursday the 24th.

Saturdays, however, remain packed with events for the next three weeks before the schedule begins to taper off as we head into the final few weeks of the 2026 car show season.

Monday (September 21st):

Tuesday (September 22nd):

Wednesday (September 23rd):

Thursday (September 24th):

Friday (September 25th):

Saturday (September 26th):

Sunday (September 27th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

It looked a little iffy for a dry cruise-in during the early afternoon, but a cell of rain somehow split in two, with one part going north and the other south, leaving the second-to-last Der Dutchman Cruise-In of the season high and dry Thursday evening.

With the threat of rain gone by showtime, the cruise-in managed 171 vehicles in attendance, including nine first-timers.

This coming week (9/24) will be the final cruise-in of 2026, so if you haven’t made it out to one yet, you’ve got one last chance. The following week will be the annual banquet, and then we’re done until next May.

Ricart Cruise-In:

Ricart Chevrolet, Buick and GMC on Billingsley Road in Columbus hosted a cruise-in Friday evening.

The only requirement to participate was that you arrive in a GM vehicle.

The evening included a DJ and multiple food trucks. About 30 cars showed up during the two hours I was there.

CONTINUE READING

Published on Leave a comment on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | September 14 – 20, 2026
The featured vehicle this week is the 1984 Buick Regal owned by Jim Jackson.
1984 Buick Regal - Owner: Jim Jackson

The Central Ohio car show schedule is showing no signs of slowing down just yet. Saturday alone has 26 events on the calendar, with Circleville, Columbus, Lancaster, Marion, and Newark all hosting multiple events.

Sunday keeps things rolling with another full schedule, highlighted by the All Oldsmobile Show, The Toy Barn Fall Show, Speak for the Unspoken, and the Cupola Classic.

With this many events on the calendar, there’s no excuse not to get out and participate in some kind of car or motorcycle event this week.

Monday (September 14th):

Tuesday (September 15th):

Wednesday (September 16th):

Thursday (September 17th):

Friday (September 18th):

Saturday (September 19th):

Sunday (September 20th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

The Der Dutchman Cruise-In just can’t seem to catch a break with the weather this season. It’s either been a field too wet for cars, temperatures hotter than a pizza oven, or, in Thursday’s case, a monsoon.

The rain hit around 5:15 PM, and boy, did it come down hard.

Despite the wet forecast, 94 vehicles still showed up for the cruise-in before Mother Nature took over.

LeaveAMark Motor Sports Car & Motorcycle Show:

Leave A Mark Church in South Columbus hosted its second annual Motor Sports Car & Motorcycle Show on Friday evening. The event drew more than 95 registered cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

Along with the vehicles on display, the evening included a silent auction and 50/50 drawing, with hot dogs, chips, and water available for anyone looking for a bite to eat.

Awards were presented to the Top 10, along with Best Ford, Best Chevy, Best Mopar, Best Motorcycle, Best Truck, Pastor’s Choice, and Best of Show.

Here are the Top 10 winners:

  • 1962 Chevy Impala SS - Mark & Patty Enyart
  • 2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray - Jim McGruder
  • 1967 Chevy Camaro - Mark & Mary Lester
  • 1967 Chevy Corvette Stingray - Dale Pearce
  • 2001 Chevy S-10 - Louie Enyart
  • 2018 Dodge Ram 1500 Express - Logan Gates
  • 1958 Chevy Impala - Dr. Ron Rogers
  • 2012 Chevy Corvette Grand Sport - George Spohn
  • 2022 Chevy Camaro SS -
  • 2011 Ford GT500 Shelby SVT - Brian Edington

The six Specialty winners:

  • PASTOR'S CHOICE: 1941 Dodge WC 40 - Kevin Foust
  • BEST TRUCK - 1936 Willy's Pickup - Ryan Jordan
  • BEST FORD - 1965 Ford Mustang - Tony Berta
  • BEST CHEVY - 1970 Chevy Nova - Don Fosco
  • BEST MOPAR: 2023 Dodge Charger - Rod Smith
  • BEST BIKE: 2000 Fatboy - Kevin Peters

The Best of Show honors went to Steve Kidwell and Nancy with and their 1954 Chevy Corvette.

It was a great evening with great cars and great friends. My only complaint was the number of lifted pickup trucks.

Apparently, I either need to grow another eight inches or start carrying a step ladder so I can photograph the window placards. 😁

CONTINUE READING

Published on Leave a comment on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | September 8 – 13, 2026
1965 Mercury Comet - Owner: Steve Evans

The second week of September brings another full schedule of Central Ohio car and motorcycle events. There are the usual cruise-ins and bike nights throughout the week, with the schedule really heating up on Friday.

Saturday is packed with events stretching from Bellefontaine to Waverly, with one of the biggest being Lite the Nite in Newark. Sunday features two manufacturer-specific events—the Corvette Gathering XXI in Lancaster and the All Ford Show in Plain City.

Whatever suits your fancy, there are plenty of car and motorcycle events to choose from around Central Ohio this week.

Tuesday (September 8th):

Wednesday (September 9th):

Thursday (September 10th):

Friday (September 11th):

Saturday (September 12th):

Sunday (September 13th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

It was a HOT 🔥 one Thursday evening. “How hot was it, you ask?” Well, according to the WeatherBug app on my phone, it was 95 degrees at 5 PM and still 93 degrees at 7 PM.

The heat kept a lot of the regulars home. Still, despite the unusually warm—or should I say HOT—temperatures, 193 vehicles attended the weekly cruise-in. No question, the shade trees along Jefferson Ave. (Rt. 42) provided the premium parking spots for the evening. And thanks to a nice breeze, if you could find some shade and just sit there, it was actually tolerable.

Here are some of the vehicles whose owners decided sauna-like temperatures weren’t going to keep them from cruising Thursday evening.

Zucchinifest Car & Motorcycle Show:

The City of Obetz hosts its annual Zucchinifest Festival Friday through Monday of Labor Day weekend at Fortress Obetz. The festival features amusement rides, multiple concerts, plenty of food, and a car show on Friday evening.

The Friday car show dodged some area showers and still had 133 vehicles turn out for the event. All proceeds from the show benefit Honor Flight.

Dan “Boots” Longenette from Auto Smarts Radio presented the awards. Steve Elam’s Simplex Military Motorcycle received the Best Bike award, while Dale Pearce’s 1950 Chevy 3100 took home Best Truck.

Best of Show honors went to Troy Lee and his 1960 Chevy Biscayne.

CONTINUE READING

Published on Leave a comment on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | August 31 to September 7, 2026
1976 AMC Pacer X - Owner: Daulton Hosler

This week leads us into the last holiday weekend of the 2026 Central Ohio car show season, with Labor Day being celebrated on Monday, September 7th.

Friday kicks off the weekend with a bang with the ZucchiniFest Car and Motorcycle Show, while the final Springfield Swap Meet of the year takes place Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, Mechanicsburg hosts its annual Hometown Heroes Show, along with the always-popular Import Face-Off.

Sunday brings a host of events stretching from Canal Winchester to Sabina, and we cap off the holiday weekend on Monday with shows in Columbus, Springfield, and Woodstock.

Oh yeah, and there’s one other little event happening this weekend—Ohio State kicks off its football season on Saturday. Go Bucks!

Please Note: Because of the Labor Day holiday, next week’s list will be posted on Tuesday, September 8th, so Monday’s events can be included.

Monday (August 31st):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (September 1st):

Wednesday (September 2nd):

Thursday (September 3rd):

Friday (September 4th):

Saturday (September 5th):

Sunday (September 6th):

Monday (September 7th - Labor Day):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

If you'd like to be notified by email when a new posting appears, click the Subscribe link at the top. This is a non-profit website. Rest assured your email address will NEVER be sold to marketers. There's no risk of more spam mail in your inbox if you subscribe.

NEWS AND NOTES

Ruzty Nutz Wednesday Night Cruise-In:

I took advantage of the nice weather Wednesday evening to check out the Ruzty Nutz Wednesday Night Cruise-In at the Grace Chapel Community Church in Westerville. The nice weather contributed to a great turnout, with more than 50 vehicles in attendance.

The Flavor To food truck was on hand until about 6:30 to help satisfy anyone’s thirst or hunger. A large portion of the attendees gathered in the usual shaded spot, shooting the breeze and talking cars.

I caught Mike Lowe doing a wipe down on his Chevy K5 Blazer.

Dave and Kathy Montgomery showed up in their brand-new 2027 Corvette Stingray, one of the first of the 2027s to hit the streets, powered by the new 6.7L (409 ci) LS6 V8. I gotta say, it sounded pretty good on startup.

Here are some of the other vehicles that turned out to enjoy the evening of cars and community.

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

After a two-week hiatus because of rain-saturated fields, the Der Dutchman Cruise-In in Plain City returned Thursday evening. With the weatherman finally cooperating, along with some pent-up demand, 441 vehicles turned out for this week’s cruise-in.

Here’s a sampling of some of the cars that made it out to Plain City. As always, there was a wide variety of vehicles to enjoy.

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Published on 2 Comments on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | August 24 – 30, 2026
1968 Ford Mustang - Owner: Phil Spangler

ATTENTION: A Maserati engine cover was found in the parking lot following the Andon’s Pub Car Show on Sunday. If it belongs to you, please call 614-206-3179.

Hard to believe we’ve already reached the last week of August. We’re looking at September, October, and a couple of weeks in November, and then the Central Ohio car show season will be over.

There’s nothing on the schedule Monday, but things get underway Tuesday with the usual lineup of weekly cruise-ins and bike nights. Saturday’s schedule is a little lighter this week before we head into the final holiday weekend of the summer. The bad news is that some events drop off the schedule after this week.

Monday (August 24th):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (August 25th):

Wednesday (August 26th):

Thursday (August 27th):

Friday (August 28th):

Saturday (August 29th):

Sunday (August 30th):

Be sure to check out the Save the Dates for 2026 page for the most comprehensive, best-organized list of upcoming Central Ohio car shows, cruise-ins, meet-ups, and bike events you’ll find anywhere online.

Don’t miss a single event — bookmark it and stay in the loop all season long.

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NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

For the second week in a row, heavy rains and saturated fields forced the cancellation of the Der Dutchman Cruise-In.

Full Throttle Thursdays:

Thursday’s cancellation of the Der Dutchman Cruise-In gave me the opportunity to check out Full Throttle Thursdays at Fortress Obetz. It’s definitely a different type of crowd than what you’ll find each week at Der Dutchman.

I estimated about 40–50 cars showed up while I was there, along with hundreds of motorcycles. Everything was parked outside the Fortress, while inside there were tables and chairs along with a stage set up for the band. Participants could enjoy food from the various food trucks as well as adult beverages.

This week’s band was Jackass Genius, with a lead singer who was definitely doing his best Mick Jagger impersonation.

The event clearly caters to the motorcycle crowd, with some cars and trucks thrown in for good measure.

Between the smell of weed and the obnoxiously loud car stereos blaring in the parking lot, I don’t think I’ll be rushing back anytime soon. If nothing else, I can now say I’ve been there.

Enjoy the photos from the evening.

NAPA Friday Night Cruise-In:

Just slightly more “laid-back” than Full Throttle Thursdays was the second NAPA Friday Night Cruise-in of the season in Hilliard.

With a perfect evening of weather, about 30 cars stopped by to hang out and talk cars. The quality of the rides was also top notch. And in a complete reversal from Thursday night, I counted exactly one motorcycle. No bands or blaring stereos here either—just a good old-fashioned Friday night cruise-in.

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