Our Two Cents: Favorite Spots For A Car Show

It seems like every city or town now has multiple car shows that service the unique needs of their local car communities. They’re often held at schools, churches, coffee shops, and even at car dealerships. Of course, concours lawns and track paddocks get the job done, too. Shows are usually remarkably easy to find, too, especially if you have a Facebook account and use the Events Near Me feature.

With all the diversity inherent in modern car shows, I wondered what the staff here at Hagerty Media personally like when the time comes for them to get out of the house and interact with others in our world of automobiles. Let’s see what we came up with!

No Thanks

“Anywhere but a car show.” – Stefan Lombard

Small Gatherings With True Believers

“The formula of bringing like-minded car enthusiasts together on an early morning for coffee and conversations was a strong pull for me. My favorite show is one that became a thing thanks to Instagram, became unmanageable because of Instagram, and is now a fun place to grab a coffee and learn more about a wide array of cars from passionate owners of all generations.

The show seems to go on no matter the weather, as many showgoers know that cars don’t melt in the rain. But it rarely gets big enough to make it impossible to chat with the owner of every car in attendance, something that feels more like a rarity these days. It was nice to see that Google Maps memorialized this little show, making something that’s informal into a memorable event for the ages.” – Sajeev Mehta

Race Tracks

“I prefer ‘car shows’ where the vehicles move and I am stationary. So: the end of the back straight at Mid-Ohio, anywhere I can place my ladder and shoot photos in the infield at Daytona, or on the pit wall of any track.” – Eddy Eckart

“You need to come to Woodward Dream Cruise: Park your butt in a lawn chair and watch the show go by.” – Eric Weiner

“I’d be down for that.” – Eddy Eckart

Goodwood Revival/Festival of Speed

“I still have fond memories of the Goodwood Revival, where I was luxuriating in a hospitality suite, champagne flute in hand, while vintage race cars zipped by a mere 25 feet away. It is a fine combination of the Monterey Historics and the Pebble Beach Concours, in one event.” – Joe DeMatio

“I’m with Joe. Goodwood is the answer. I don’t really like car shows, but attending Goodwood Festival of Speed is my all-time favorite car-related experience. I would go every year to both Revival and Festival of Speed if I could.” – Ben Woodworth

“Goodwood Festival of Speed all day. Great mix of awesome/rare to see old stuff that runs, plus whatever new-fangled stuff the OEMs want to peddle, plus general civility with their queues and bacon baps in the morning, etc. etc. 10/10 event.” – Matt Tuccillo

McPherson College C.A.R.S. Show

“The best spot of all is standing in front of Templeton Hall while the cars clear out of the annual McPherson College C.A.R.S Show. Back in the old days, the students would verbally bolster the courage of anyone hesitant about doing burnouts while exiting the show field, usually under the handshake agreement with campus maintenance that said students would come back and remove the evidence the next day.

Now, professor Ed Barr stands out front with a custom sign of his own making that keeps the tire smoke in the tread, but I still go back every year to stand in that spot to enjoy the cars. These days I get to make small talk with Ed while watching the cars. It’s a win/win.” – Kyle Smith

More Race Track Love

“I’m also team race track. I will never forget the experience of walking through the fence at Laguna Seca with my photo vest during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and having a screaming V-12 from a 60s Ferrari prototype come screaming past a few feet from me. I didn’t have earplugs in, which was a mistake.

That whole day was incredible, watching cars slide and hustle around a famous track like Laguna. I couldn’t take my eyes away from the action—which eventually cost me my well-being, as I got sick from some combination of adrenaline, excitement, dehydration, and very, very poor nutrition. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.” – Nathan Petroelje

Monterey Historics

“For me, it has to be the paddock at the Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca. You’ll spot everything from every price range. From as attainable as Austin-Healey Sprites and Triumph TR6s to exclusive as GT40s and vintage Can Am racers. Trek on up to the top of the Corkscrew and you’ll see a fantastic show. Now, I hear the vintage weekend at Road America is pretty epic as well. That is my favorite track to spectate, so I’ll need to get off my butt and attend to see if it becomes my new favorite.” – Greg Ingold

Bonneville Speed Week

“Dry, crusty desert salt beds. You get to watch the sun rise over teams of the most passionate and helpful enthusiasts as they prepare their cars and bikes like they’re about to go to battle.” – James Hewitt

One Person Car Show? 

“Best spot for a car show: fourth parking meter down on the left where someone has wedged a bone-stock six-cylinder ‘72 Nova on steelies into the otherwise dull lineup of plastic, all-activity, five-star crash-rated corpuscles. One-car car shows are the absolute best car shows.” – Aaron Robinson