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Published on 8 Comments on Central Ohio Car and Bike Events for April 27 – May 3, 2026
1963 Chevy SS - Owner: Bill Albert

The Central Ohio car show season shifts into high gear this weekend as we roll into May. The threat of snow and freeze warnings is finally in the rearview mirror, and for the next six months, it’s all about sunshine, pavement, and polished sheet metal. If your car is still sitting under a cover, now’s the time—get it out and get it on the road.

This week also marks my return to the Buckeye State after spending four months escaping Ohio’s winter. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and catching up with everyone in the weeks ahead.

Monday (April 27th):

  • No Events Found

Tuesday (April 28th):

Wednesday (April 29th):

Thursday (April 30th):

Friday - (May 1st):

Saturday (May 2nd):

Sunday - (May 3rd):

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

Before getting into this week’s News and Notes, I want to touch on something that comes up often—the next generation of car enthusiasts.

It’s easy for our generation to take shots at the younger generation and say they’re just not into cars the way we were. I’ll admit, the percentage might be a little smaller, but the idea that the car culture is dying off just doesn’t hold up—at least not from what I’ve seen.

A perfect example is the Import Face-Off. People sometimes look at me a bit sideways when I say it’s the second-largest car event in Central Ohio behind Goodguys Summit Racing Nationals—and it makes two stops in the area every year. That kind of turnout doesn’t happen if the next generation isn’t showing up.

The cars may look different than what many of us grew up with—Chevys, Fords, Dodges, and Plymouths—now joined by Hondas, Subarus, Lexus, and Nissans. But the passion is still there. It just wears a different badge.

The bottom line: the next generation of car enthusiasts is alive and well. And if there’s any doubt, just take a look at the crowd from last weekend’s Import Face-Off. Even on a cold, blustery April Sunday, they showed up in force.

Car show organizers might want to take note.

Calvin Rowland Memorial Car Show:

Friday evening, the 2nd Annual Calvin Rowland Memorial Car Show was held at Precision Fleet Repair in Bellefontaine, Ohio.

For those who may not know, Calvin Rowland was a longtime member of the Central Ohio car community who regularly brought his two trucks to car shows until his passing in 2023.

Friday’s show drew 43 cars. Our good friend Jeff Shankle and his “Green Goblin” took home one of the Top awards.

Here are more rides from Friday's show courtesy of Jeff.

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1965 Ford Thunderbird- Owner: Chris Cunningham

Columbus Cars and Coffee Season Finale:

The 40-degree morning temperatures didn’t stop several hundred cars and spectators from turning out for the final corporate Columbus Cars and Coffee meet of 2025. Held at the Heart of Ohio Classical Academy campus in Dublin, Ohio, the event featured a great mix of cars—from American classics to European exotics.

Porsches were out in force, rivaled by nearly as many BMWs. Hondas and Lexuses also had a strong showing, rounding out a diverse lineup that closed out the season with a classic split-window Corvette in attendance.

Here’s a look at some more standout cars from the final meet:

Miller's Swap Meet & Car Show:

One of the biggest final events of the Central Ohio car show season is the Fall Miller’s Swap Meet and Car Show. Held at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio, the November 1st event marked the 18th annual edition of this popular combination swap meet and car show. This year’s car show registered 173 vehicles.

Award plaques were presented to the Top 20 vehicles from model years 1987 and older and the Top 20 from 1988 and newer. In addition to these forty Top 20 awards, there were 15 Special Awards and two Best of Show honors — one for 1987 and below and the other for 1988 and above.

Here are the Special Award winners from this year’s Fall Miller’s Swap Meet and Car Show:

  • BEST GM - Ron Barker
  • BEST FORD - Bill & Julie Holt
  • BEST MOPAR - Robert Chronister
  • BEST TRUCK - Keith McClain
  • MOST UNIQUE - Tim Miller
  • BEST WAGON - Doug & Debby Sears
  • BEST STREET ROD - Ed Young
  • BEST LOW RIDER - Jeff Ward
  • BEST DISPLAY - Scott Weldy
  • BEST BIKE - Steve Elam
  • BEST IMPORT - Dale Bethel
  • BEST MUSTANG '74 & NEWER - Steve Shorten
  • BEST MUSTANG '73 & OLDER - Terry Bach
  • PROMOTERS CHOICE (NATE) - Steve Kidwell & Nancy
  • PROMOTERS CHOICE (BRIAN) - Marvin Stulley
  • BEST OF SHOW '87 & OLDER - Bob Kirst
  • BEST OF SHOW '88 & NEWER - Bling Breezy

With the awards handed out and another successful show in the books, here’s a look at some of the other standout vehicles from the event, thanks to Jeff Shankle and Bubba Hettinger.

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Published on
1968 Chevy Nova SS - Owner: Wade Randolph

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NEWS AND NOTES

Groovy Plants Ranch's Groovy Jack's Classic Car Cruise-In:

The Groovy Plants Ranch in Marengo, Ohio, hosted its third and final Cruise-In/Car Show of the season on Saturday, and it went out with a bang!

The event had a fun Trunk or Treat atmosphere, with plenty of kids dressed up in Halloween costumes and cars decked out in spooky style.

The first 100 participants received a commemorative dash plaque, while Bushel and Bean kept everyone warm with hot beverages throughout the day.

A food truck served up delicious BBQ that kept the crowd satisfied as they browsed the lineup.

This final show set a new attendance record with 115 cars on display. At the end of the afternoon, The Groovy Plants Ranch handed out six awards recognizing creativity, style, and Halloween spirit:

Honorable Mention: 1959 Cadillac - Shawn Landell

Best Decoration: 2023 Ford Bronco Wildtrak - Sandy Littleton

Scariest Ride: 2023 Ford Bronco - Corey Dormaier

Grooviest Ride: 1966 Volkswagen Sundial - Donald & Molly Lanigan

Kid’s Choice: 1926 Dodge Brothers - Sean Catalogna

Creepiest Ride: 1979 Dodge Steetvan - Tim & Anise Palko

Here are more rides from the cruise-in:

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1968 Jeepster Convertible - Owners: Pete & Jean Dunkel

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NEWS AND NOTES

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

For the second week in a row, the Thursday forecast completely missed the mark. On Tuesday, the outlook promised sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. The prediction looked so good that Wayne Nisely, who manages the cruise-in, sent out an email early in the week touting the “perfect” weather and even reserving a prize for the 500th car to attend.

But the day had other plans. Rain and blustery winds rolled in around 1 PM Thursday and didn’t let up until after 4 PM—so much for 500 cars. Even so, 113 cruisers still made the trip, including five first-timers who stopped by despite the soggy conditions.

Der Dutchman Cruise-in at 4:30 PM
A few more cars in attendance at 6:30 PM including a very nice Cadillac Coupe DeVille

Honda Marysville Motorsports August Bike & Car Night:

Honda Marysville Motorsports hosted its August Bike & Car Night on Friday evening, once again treating attendees to delicious food and refreshments from the Triple P Barbecue food truck.

This month’s raffle saw three lucky winners take home prizes, including two mystery totes and a brand-new Honda push mower. Our friend Nick Mathews was one of the winners, scoring a tote packed with a motorcycle helmet, jacket, pants, and gloves—gear worth several hundred dollars!

It was the perfect mix of great weather, tasty food, and plenty of horsepower to cap off another fantastic evening at Honda Marysville Motorsports.

Zucchinifest Car & Motorcycle Show:

The Zucchinifest Car and Motorcycle Show rolled into Fortress Obetz on Friday evening, drawing a strong turnout of enthusiasts and spectators alike. A total of 214 cars and motorcycles filled the show field, showcasing everything from classic muscle and custom builds to modern performance machines.

Two standout awards highlighted the night’s competition. Dale Pearce earned Best Corvette honors with his beautifully presented 1967 Stingray, while Jeff Ward took home the prestigious Honor Flight Pick for his sharp 2002 lowered S-10 pickup.

Ryan Gebhart's 1971 Chevy Chevelle received the Best of Show honors.

Bryan Mauger captured some of the fantastic rides on display, giving participants and fans alike a lasting glimpse of the show’s highlights.

With a diverse lineup, great weather, and a festive atmosphere, the Zucchinifest show once again proved to be a crowd favorite and a highlight of the late-summer car season.

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Published on
1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass - Owner: David Ingram

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NEWS AND NOTES

Flavor 91 Bistro Car Show Saturdays:

On Saturday, Shaun “Big Dawg” Sanders and the C-Town Cruisers kicked off their car show season at Flavor 91 Bistro in Whitehall, Ohio.

Although attendance was a bit lower than expected due to the weather, spirits remained high. A light rain shower passed through midway, but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the participants and spectators.

Awards were presented to the Top 30 vehicles, along with Best of Show honors.

The Best of Show Award went to Shawn Freels and his 1942 Chevy Special Deluxe.

The C-Town Cruisers will host three more shows at the Flavor 91 Bistro this season. Check out the Save the Dates for 2025 page for the dates of those shows.

Auto Show at Walmart:

Doreen Baker and her crew kicked off the season with their first show Saturday at the Walmart in London, Ohio.

They had a solid turnout with 35 cars showing up.

Tom and Betty Lawrence won the People’s Choice Award with their 2008 Volkswagen convertible.

The Best GM Award went to Dale Pearce's 1967 Corvette Stingray.

The Best of Show award went to the 1951 Chevy Bel Air belonging to Tom Corbin.

Gears for Growth Car Show:

NCS Digital, part of the Newark City School System, hosted a fundraising car show on Saturday in Newark, Ohio. The school offers digital education, providing live teaching through the Zoom application.

The event registered between 40 and 50 cars.

Scott Shepherd’s 1957 Chevy Bel Air wagon was awarded Best of Show.

Dick Ater Memorial Jaguar Jubilee Car Show 

Springfield, Ohio — The Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center hosted the Dick Ater Memorial Jaguar Jubilee Car Show on Saturday, welcoming a strong turnout of automotive enthusiasts. The event featured over 90 registered vehicles, representing a wide range of makes, models, and styles.

Students from the CTC’s automotive programs played a major role in the event’s success. They not only judged the competition, gaining valuable real-world experience, but also handcrafted the awards given to the winners. Award categories included Best Paint, Best Interior, Best Ford, Best Chevy, Best Truck, Best Mopar, Best Imports, Student’s Choice, and Best of Show.

The car show honored the memory of Dick Ater, a long-time supporter of the CTC and the local automotive community.

Larry Bray's 1969 Super Bee received the Best Mopar Award.

The Best Chevy Award went to the 1957 Chevy Bel Air belonging to Jeff Hass.

Kevin Foust's 1941 Dodge WC40 Weapons Carrier received the Best Truck Award.

The Best of Show selection went to the 1936 Ford of Keith and Karen Young.

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Published on 2 Comments on Central Ohio Cars Shows, Cruise-Ins, & Meet-Ups for September 16 – 22, 2024
1985 Chevy K5 Blazer - Owner: Madalynn Francis

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NEWS AND NOTES

Another dry hot week in Central Ohio. The heat didn’t seem to affect attendance too much. There were three events with more than 200 cars — two of which were over 300.

Der Dutchman Cruise-In:

It was another big Thursday evening at Der Dutchman. This week the cruise-in tallied 346 cars.

Dan Varner brought his recently acquired and very rare 1957 Chrysler 300C to the cruise-in.

There were a few other unique vehicles this week like a 1948 Chevy Cab Over Engine (COE) truck, Jeff Irwin's Superformance 1963 Corvette Grandsport, and the firepunk Diesel.

About 60 cars took part in the Annual Donuts and Coffee Cruise-In on Saturday Morning.

Nothing beats using your Corvette to hold your coffee and donut while you get your chair out!

Just a reminder that this Saturday (9/21) is the First Annual Outdoor Sing Along at the Der Dutchman Oak Grove. Wayne encourages cruise-in attendees to bring their cars and walk over to the event

Creative Auto Group/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show:

The September Creative Auto Group/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show took place Friday evening in Marysville, Ohio.

There were 19 cars in attendance. The show raised $113 for the Milford Center Food Pantry in the Trinity Church.

This month's top picks went to Mark Larison with a 1965 Ford Cobra.

Mike Bostick's 1969 Camaro.

And Carlie Bostic and his 1969 Camaro RS/SS Z11 Pace Car.

Ford vs Ferrari Car Show:

The Valley Ford of Columbus Dealership hosted the Ford vs Ferrari Car Show on Friday evening in Hilliard, Ohio.

There were more than 150 cars in attendance. Nine of them were old and new Ford GTs.

Valley Ford presented five awards at the end of the show. The awards were for Best Old Classic Car, Best Modern Classic Car, Judges Choice, Runner-up Best of Show, and Best of Show.

Fred Harrison received Best Old Classic Car for his 1934 Ford Roadster.

The Best Modern Classic Car Award went to Jim MCGruder's 2020 Corvette Stingray.

Frank Deering's 2000 Corvette was the Judge's Choice.

The Runner-Up Best of Show I think went to this Ferrari.

Charles Crites' 1965 Ford GT 40 took home the Best of Show Honors.

Here are more cars from the Ford vs Ferrari Show:

Motts Military Driving for Daisy:

The Auto Smarts Radio Cruise and Ride team hosted its annual car show at Motts Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio on Saturday.

This year the show registered 85 cars.

Dale Pearce received the Best Chevy Award for his 1950 Chevy 3600 pickup.

Steve Andrix's 1954 Chevy Bel Air was selected Best of Show.

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Published on
2004 Acura TL - Owner: Karla Rodriguez

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NEWS AND NOTES

Dick Ater Memorial Jaguar Jubilee:

The Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center in Springfield, Ohio was the site of the Dick Ater Memorial Jaguar Jubilee Car Show on Saturday.

The show featured a silent auction and four food trucks including one from Young's Dairy. All proceeds went to Ater's Drug-Free Clubs of America.

The show registered 77 vehicles. Unique steel-cut awards were presented to the top cars at the end of the show.

The Best of Show award went to Bob McKee and his 1959 Ford Thunderbird convertible.

Here are a few more cars from the 77 that attended the show:

Auto Show @ Walmart:

On Saturday, Doreen Baker and her team hosted their first of three car shows this year at the London, Ohio Walmart.

With the temperature in the 80s, the show registered 65 cars.

Dale Pearce posted a video to Facebook from the show.

The Best of Show Award went to the 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL convertible owned by Brock Smith.

American Legion Canteen Post #144 Car Show:

Shaun "Big Dawg" Sanders and the C-Town Cruisers hosted their first show of the season at the American Legion Canteen Post #144 in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday.

This was the first of six shows scheduled at Post #144 this season.

Officially, the C-Town Cruisers registered 76 cars. But there were a bunch more cars popping in and out during the show.

Chad Hilderbrand and his 1961 "pristine" Chevy Impala Bubble Top took home the Best of Show honors.

Toy Barn Spring Car Show:

When the weather is good, you can count with 100% certainty there will be a big crowd on hand for the Toy Barn Spring Car Show. Sunday was no exception with a "Standing Room" only crowd at the Dublin, Ohio Dealership. Schmidt's was there serving Bahama Mamas. The coffee and donuts concession ran out of coffee early but the donuts lasted till the end.

Screenshot

That's all I have for this week. I want to thank Chad Herrick, Dave Bratton, Dale Pearce, and Bryan Mauger for their contribution to this week's report.

I'm heading back to Ohio on Tuesday. If all goes well, I'll see everyone at the first Der Dutchman Cruise-In on Thursday!

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Published on 4 Comments on Central Ohio Car Show News and Notes for November 2023
1938 Dodge 2 Dr Sedan - Owner: Bill Blackburn

The 2023 Central Ohio car show season has officially ended as far as judged shows. It was just posted on Facebook that there will be a cruise-in at Earthworks Cafe and Lounge in Newark, Ohio on November, 18th. If you're dying for one more car event before you put your car away, here you have it.

Here are the News and Notes from the final five Central Ohio car shows of 2023.

Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts Car Show:

Often referred to as the "Wheelbarrow Fire Pit" car show, Creative Automotive Auto Sales and the Advance Auto Parts Store in Marysville, Ohio hosted its final show of the year on November 3rd.

There were 26 cars in attendance and $145 was raised for the Marysville Food Pantry.

Here are the six "Favorite" car picks for this month:

1959 Chevy Biscayne - Jeff Tolley
1967 Chevy Camaro - Mark Lester
1966 Plymouth Belvedere - Louie Wild
1972 Chevy Nova - Thad & Theresa Roberts
1969 Dodge Dart GT - Frank Sanborn
1955 Chevy Bel Air - Glen Frisby

In addition to the car awards, Jeff Shankle presented awards for Cruiser and Co-Cruiser of the Year.

Rex Dillion, Tim Inscho, and I received Co-Cruiser of the Year awards. The three of us only missed one show. I was in Florida for the April show so I had a good excuse.

Left to Right: Rex Dillion, yours truly, and Tim Inscho

The Cruiser of the Year award went to Jimmy Carmean and Rick Jones. They both attended all eight Creative Automotive/Advanced Auto Parts shows this year. Rick has been Cruiser of the Year four out of the last five years.

Jimmy Carmean
Rick Jones

Miller's Swap Meet and Car Show:

The 16th Annual Miller's Fall Swap Meet and Car Show took place on Saturday, November 4th at the Ross County Fairgrounds in Chillicothe, Ohio.

With plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 60s, the car show registered 171 vehicles.

I didn't go far into the swap meet area but from what I was told by those that did it was huge.

The car show presented a total of 40 award plaques -- "Top 20" for cars '87 and older and "Top 20" for cars '88 and newer. In addition to the plaques, there were 13 "Special" trophies and two Best of Shows -- one for '87 and older and one for '88 and newer.

The club participation award went to the Street Kingz Car Club.

Here are the "Special" trophy winners:

BEST SEDAN/STATION WAGON - 1952 Chevy Suburban - Dallas Behrens
PROMOTERS CHOICE - 1979 Ford Mustang Pace Car - William Brown
PROMOTERS CHOICE - 1954 Corvette - Steve Kidwell & Nancy
BEST GM - 1969 Chevy Camaro - Don & Jodi Jenkins
BEST RACE CAR - 1970 Chevy Chevelle - Ryleigh Brown
BEST MOPAR - 1970 Dodge Challenger - Marvin Oldaker
BEST FORD - 1956 Crown Vic - Carl & Hazel Lynn
BEST STREET ROD - 1931 Ford - Denny Wood
BEST MOTORCYCLE - Perry Hicks
BEST LOW RIDER - 1955 Ford Pickup - Loy Oberer
BEST IMPORT - 1973 Triumph TR6 - Dale Bethel
BEST TRUCK - 1954 Chevy 3100 - Pat Jackson
BEST RAT ROD - 1928 REO - Brian Careuthers

The Best of Show winners:

  • '88 and Newer - Custom 1995 Chevy Camaro - Owner: Bob Kirst

  • '87 and Older - 1967 Chevy Nova SS - Owner: Charlie Seymour

Notice that Charlie is standing with two trophies. The one with "Best of Show" at the top will stay with the show promoter. Each year the cars and owner names that received Best of Show will be added to the base of the trophy.

Final Thoughts: This was my first Miller's Swap Meet and Car Show. It was worth the hour's drive from Columbus. I liked splitting the awards into older and newer cars. In my opinion, it gets more people to participate in the show and adds a larger variety of cars. No one can argue that is a bad thing.

...continue reading "Central Ohio Car Show News and Notes for November 2023"