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Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | August 10 – 16, 2026

Published on Leave a comment on Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | August 10 – 16, 2026
2026 "Welcome to the Jungle" Cincinnati Bengals decorated Chevy Corvette Stingray belonging to Gregory Johnson.
2026 "Welcome To The Jungle" Chevy Corvette - Owner: Gregory Johnson

As we move into the middle of August, the calendar remains packed with events, especially on Saturday and Sunday, in addition to the many weekly cruise-ins and bike nights throughout Central Ohio. Some of this week’s highlights include the Vance Outdoors Car Show in Obetz benefiting Honor Flight Columbus, the Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival Car Show, the Igniters Rod Run & Car Show in Chillicothe, and the Larry Coolidge Memorial Cruise-In, formerly known as the Powell Cruize-In & Pig Out.

Be sure to check out the complete schedule below, and as always, verify event details before heading out in case of weather-related changes or last-minute updates.

Monday (August 10th):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (August 11th):

Wednesday (August 12th):

Thursday (August 13th):

Friday (August 14th):

Saturday (August 15th):

Sunday (August 16th):

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:

It’s amazing how just a few degrees can affect attendance. Last week, with temperatures in the low 80s, more than 500 vehicles filled the Der Dutchman Cruise-In. This week, with highs climbing into the mid to upper 80s, attendance dropped to 279 vehicles. Even so, that’s still a turnout most events would be thrilled to have.

The variety and quality of vehicles on hand were once again outstanding. Here are some of the evening’s highlights, captured through the combined photos of Jeff Shankle and yours truly.

Hosanna Church Car Show:

Thanks to pop-up rain showers that moved through the area Friday afternoon, the 13th Annual Hosanna Church Car Show in Pataskala was a shell of its former self compared to last year. In 2025, the parking lot was bulging with 135 vehicles. This year, thanks to the rain, attendance barely made into the 20s. But as they say in the entertainment business, “The show must go on,” and that it did.

Jeff Tolley’s 1965 Chevy C-10 pickup received the People’s Choice Award, while Dave O’Brien’s 1982 Chevy C-10 pickup was selected Best of Show.

Among the other award winners were Mark and Mary Lester, whose 1967 Chevy Camaro took home the Best of the ’60s award.

Here are some rain-soaked photos Jeff Tolley took at Friday’s show.

Vettes, Rods, & Classics:

Longtime readers of CarShowTalk.com know that year after year I have rated the Vettes, Rods, & Classics Car Show, hosted by the Capital City Corvette Club, as the best “judged” show in Central Ohio. One of the reasons for that ranking has always been the Creekside venue in Gahanna, with its restaurants, shops, and overall downtown atmosphere.

Because of construction at Creekside this year, the show would have lost approximately 70 parking spaces. Factor in permits and other costs, and it became clear that continuing to hold the show at Creekside was no longer feasible. An alternative location suggested to the club was the AEP parking lot off Tech Center Drive in Gahanna, and that’s where this year’s Vettes, Rods, & Classics took place—and where it appears the show will call home for the foreseeable future.

This year’s show had 220 paid registrations. Everyone who registered a vehicle received one door prize ticket, with additional tickets available for $1 each. Along with the door prizes, the club also held a silent auction and 50/50 raffle, with all proceeds going to support Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Per usual, Jim McGruder did an excellent job spinning the tunes and serving as master of ceremonies.

Before I get into the awards, I want to say a big thank you to the Capital City Corvette Club for presenting me with its first-ever Community Service Award in recognition of the work I’ve done with CarShowTalk.com. It is truly an honor and one I want to share with all the people who contribute photos, results, and information each week. There is no way I could do what I do without the community’s help and support. Being recognized for something I enjoy doing is simply icing on the cake.

Okay, lets talk about awards.

One thing I’ve always liked about Vettes, Rods, & Classics is its judging structure. The rods and classics are judged separately from the Corvettes, with each group receiving its own Best of Show award. As always, the judging is points-based, with an emphasis on cleanliness and overall presentation.

There is, however, a separate group of Special Awards that any vehicle in the show is eligible to receive.

Here are this year's Special Award winners.

  • MAYOR'S CHOICE: 1987 Chevy El Camino - Ron Day
  • NATIONAL CORVETTE MUSEUM CHOICE: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport - Cindy McBee
  • FIRE CHIEF'S CHOICE: 1937 Wild Rod Ford - Dave Bratton
  • LEW GRIFFIN INSURANCE CHOICE: 1970 Ford Torino GT - Chris Kraner
  • ESOTERIC FINE AUTO FINISHING CHOICE - 1957 Corvette - Pete Hagan
  • CORVETTE CAR CHOICE - 1966 Corvette - Buddy Glassburn
  • ISCO CHOICE: 2019 Corvette Z06 - Robert Berus
  • FUNTRAILS VAN CHOICE: 1950 Willys Station - Garry Brown
  • COUGLIN CHEVROLET CHOICE: 2022 Corvette Stingray - Quentin Williams
  • UBS MUIRFIELD WEALTH PARTNERS CHOICE: 1960 Cadillac Eldorado - Jimi Marshall
  • FOP LODGE #9 CHOICE - 2023 Corvette - Garrett Manson
  • VETERANS CHOICE: 1966 Chevy Corvair - Don & Sharon Meade
  • PARKS & RECREATION CHOICE: 1968 Chevy Camaro RS - Mark Mowery
  • BEST MOPAR: 1962 Plymouth Fury - Jim Bickel
  • BEST FORD: 1966 Ford F-250 - Brian Harris
  • BEST IMPORT: 1971 Honda Z600 - Brian Joseph
  • BEST GM: 1959 Chevy El Camino - Ralph Carle

The Street Elite Corvette Club received the Club Participation Award with 17 members in attendance.

Best of Show honors in the Rods & Classics division went to Bob Kraft and his beautiful 1955 Chevy.

On the Corvette side, the Best of Show award went to Graig Grunkemeyer and his 1969 Corvette.

I would be remiss if I didn’t show some of the other fantastic rides from the show, so here’s a video slideshow featuring the rest of the cars from this year’s Vettes, Rods, & Classics.

Final thoughts: You don’t always appreciate something until it’s gone, and that’s how I feel about the show not being at Creekside this year. The AEP parking lot just couldn’t come close to matching the atmosphere of Mill Street, and I really missed having Reelin’ in the Years providing the live music. Being directly in the flight path for planes landing at Port Columbus also added a different kind of “entertainment,” with low-flying aircraft regularly passing overhead throughout the day.

Still, the Capital City Corvette Club and its volunteers made the best of the situation and, as always, put on a darn good show while raising money for a great cause. Hopefully, circumstances will someday allow Vettes, Rods, & Classics to return to Creekside. Until then, the club proved this year that the show itself is about much more than just the location.

Clint Rice Memorial Car Show:

Originally scheduled for August 1, the 2nd Annual Clint Rice Memorial Car Show was rescheduled to Saturday because of the threat of rain. Taking place on the main field used by the Der Dutchman Cruise-In in Plain City, the show registered 31 vehicles.

Judging was a combination of participant voting and picks by the Rice family. Here are the Top Five vote-getters from Saturday’s show.

Coming in at number five was Norm Silverman’s 1965 Ford Mustang.

At number four was John Mahan’s 1969 AMC AMX. Third place went to Russ Annis and his 1967 Chevy Chevelle. Dean Maisenbacher’s 1959 Ford Skyliner took second place. Dean’s Skyliner also received the Rice Family's Choice Award.

Taking the top spot was Pete Lieb’s 1951 Ford F-1 pickup.

Rounding out the major awards was Billy Murray’s 1956 Ford Fairlane, which received Wayne Nisly’s Pick.

Ye Olde Mill Rod Run & Picnic:

Another event rescheduled because of weather was the Annual Ye Olde Mill Rod Run & Picnic at the Velvet Ice Cream facility in Utica. Normally held over Memorial Day weekend, this year’s show was postponed until this past Saturday. Unfortunately, the change from its traditional date had a profound effect on attendance. The event normally attracts between 300 and 400-plus vehicles, but Saturday’s turnout was only around 65.

Doug Glassburn and several members of the Hi-Way Starz were there and sent in some great photos from the event.

Doug also took home one of the unique Top 40 awards with his 1972 Chevy C-10 Stepside pickup. There was no Best of Show award.

Volksfest 35:

The 35th Annual Volksfest took place Saturday at a new location, the Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center in downtown Columbus. The event combines a car show and swap meet, along with door prizes, raffles, music, and food. This year’s featured vehicle was 50 years of the Volkswagen GTI.

The show registered 155 vehicles, with approximately 200 actually on the grounds when you include those that didn’t register. The swap meet was well represented too, with 60 vendors on hand selling parts and other Volkswagen-related items.

If you’re into everything Volkswagen, Fort Hayes was the place to be on Saturday. And judging from the turnout and the photos Tom Lawrence and Mark Garrett took at the show, there are plenty of Volkswagen fans in Central Ohio.

Hot Summer Nights:

The biggest event of the weekend was the annual Hot Summer Nights Car Show in downtown Bellefontaine Saturday evening. Hosted by the Top of Ohio Cruisers, this year’s show drew 374 vehicles, putting it close to the event’s 400-vehicle capacity.

What makes Hot Summer Nights somewhat unique is that all vehicles must first register and line up at the Logan County Fairgrounds before parading together into downtown Bellefontaine for the show.

Unfortunately, Bellefontaine couldn’t escape the pop-up showers that plagued several events this weekend, and the cars got a little wet before the evening was over. Jeff Shankle was there and captured photos from both the fairgrounds and downtown.

"The Classic" Car, Truck, & Bike Show:

If you didn’t get your fill of cars, sun, heat, and humidity during the day on Saturday, Commercial Point Saturday evening was your ticket for the 10th Annual “The Classic” Car, Truck, & Bike Show. The event featured three-foot trophies for all of the award categories and a whopping six-foot trophy for Best of Show. Estimates put attendance at around 150 vehicles.

Jeff Ward’s 2002 Chevy S-10 lowrider received one of the Top 3 Most Patriotic/Military Themed awards.

Our good friend Tim Hooten had himself a pretty good Saturday with his 1970 Chevy Nova. Tim’s car received an Award of Excellence at Vettes, Rods, & Classics in the afternoon and then picked up a Top 25 award later that evening at Commercial Point.

Best of Show honors went to David Elliott and his 1957 Chevy Bel Air.

Powell Cars & Coffee:

After spending six hours Saturday baking in the sun, heat, and humidity at Vettes, Rods, & Classics, I decided it might be best to attend something a little shorter than another four- or five-hour car show on Sunday. Not quite sure what to expect, I headed out to Powell Cars & Coffee at Tintworks. This was Tintworks’ first ever Cars & Coffee event.

Much to my enjoyment, it turned out to be a really nice cruise-in, with probably 100 or more cars passing through during the two-hour event. The Ice Shack was on site offering food and refreshments to anyone looking to quench their thirst or satisfy their hunger.

Like many Cars & Coffee gatherings, there was a nice mix of vehicles, ranging from classics and modern muscle to exotics and European and Asian imports. Here are some of the rides that turned out for Sunday morning’s Cars & Coffee. Kudos to Tintworks for a fine first-time effort.

Northland HS Alumni Foundation Car Show:

Dave Bratton attended the Northland High School Alumni Foundation Car Show on Saturday, where he estimated around 75 vehicles were registered. There was no Best of Show award. Instead, organizers presented Best in Class awards across a number of categories.

Jerry Hartman received Best Motorcycle with his Harley-Davidson, while Brad Tilton’s 2009 Mazda took Best Import. Dave Bratton’s 1937 Ford earned Best Custom. Ford honors also went to Tony Oliver’s 1999 Mustang for Best Newer Ford and Mike Mathews’ 1947 Ford for Best Older Ford.

On the GM side, Mark Enyart’s 1962 Chevy Impala received Best Older GM, while Jim McGruder’s 2020 C8 Corvette took Best Newer GM. Bill Meister’s 1972 Plymouth Cuda received Best Older Mopar, while Best Newer Mopar went to a 2016 Dodge Charger. Unfortunately, the owner’s name wasn’t announced.

Best Truck went to Kevin Foust and his 1941 Dodge WC40 Weapons Carrier. People’s Choice went to Henry Duke and his 2021 Ford Shelby GT.

Dave thought the show was well run overall, although the awards ceremony seemed a little disorganized. Most importantly, his final assessment was simple: He’d go back.

Here's Dave Bratton and Jim McGruder with their awards.

Here are some of the sights from the show, captured through the combined photos of Dave Bratton and Kevin Foust.

Disciples of Rust Car, Truck, & Bike Show:

Shaun “Big Dawg” Sanders and the C-Town Cruisers made the trek north on Sunday to the Hartford Independent Fairgrounds in Croton to help host the 3rd Annual Disciples of Rust Car, Truck, & Bike Show. The show registered an impressive 200 vehicles.

Among the award winners were Marty Linger and Richard Lawrence, who each took home Top 50 awards.

Here are some of the sights from Sunday’s show, captured through the photos of Jeff Tolley.

Fairfield Fish & Game Car, Truck & Bike Show / Logan Moose Lodge 873 Car Show:

Dave and Jackie Rolfe-Hiles had a busy and successful weekend, attending two shows with their 1973 Plymouth Duster/Twister.

Their first stop was the Fairfield Fish & Game Car Show, where 54 vehicles were registered. It was their first time attending the event, and they came away impressed with the venue, especially the grass parking and plenty of shade. Dave and Jackie took home a Top 20 award, along with Darren Amspaugh with his Harley Triglide. Doug Mullen received the Best 1980 & Newer Award.

Their second stop was the Logan Moose Car Show on Sunday, which drew 74 entries. Dave and Jackie picked up a Top 25 award, along with Doug.

I’m going to finish off this week’s News & Notes with some of the beautiful and unique rides Tom Lawrence captured at the Route 40 Car Show at Tecumseh High School in New Carlisle. This was yet another show that had to be rescheduled because of weather. Hopefully, this pattern of dry weekdays followed by scattered weekend showers comes to an end soon.

There are lots of people to thank this week. Our remote reporters include Jeff Shankle, Dave Bratton, Tom Lawrence, Jeff Tolley, Mark and Mary Lester, Russ Annis, Phil Spangler, Tim Hooten, Doug Glassburn, Kevin Foust, Rod Scott, Dave & Jackie Hiles, Mark Garrett, and Jeff Ward. Whew! Thank you all for your time, dedication, and willingness to share your weekends with our readers.

Have a great week, stay safe and keep those wheels rolling.

Home » Central Ohio Car Shows & Motorcycle Events | August 10 – 16, 2026

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