Car Shows and Festivals near Marion, IL in Fall 2022

Car shows can be a great place to show off classic cars, bring your family for a day of fun, or simply experience the community spirit. With contests for both the participants and spectators, the area around Marion, IL, has tons of events that you can look forward to throughout the fall. Many of these coincide with other events, such as carnivals and food competitions, so there’s always plenty for the whole family to do while exploring how the automotive industry has changed over the years. Let’s look at some upcoming automotive events near Marion, IL this fall and winter.

Upcoming Automotive Events Near Marion, IL

“at the car show” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by scott1346

Festival on Wheels

Kick off the unofficial start of fall with the Festival on Wheels, which takes place in Nauvoo, Illinois on September 3rd and 4th and is the 45th anniversary of this classic car show. You’ll find cars like hot rods, classics, trucks, and motorcycles here. Other fun things to do at this festival include the 50-50 raffle, food vendors, and a swap meet. This show boasts unique awards for over 60 vehicles, so stick around until the end.

This is the same weekend as the annual Grape Festival, so check out the parades, carnival, and mud volleyball while you’re there.

Tamale Fest

This recurring festival is back on September 10th with fun things for everyone in the family to enjoy. Along with the classic competition between tamale cookers, there’s a lowrider competition, where people bring their lowrider cars from across the country to compete in a show-and-hop contest. This festival offers many other activities, including a jalapeno-eating contest, Aztec dancers, and a pin-up model competition. In addition to this entertainment, you can get new stuff from the wide range of vendors at the festival. The proceeds go to several local nonprofits.

Route 66 Festival

From September 23rd through to the 25th, you can stop by the famous Route 66 Festival. This car show features thousands of participating cars and classic RVs in 14 classes. There’s also a Cars and Coffee event for participants to mingle with other car enthusiasts while enjoying pastries and coffee. On Saturday, the festival features a unique burnout contest. There’s a full farmers market and live entertainment throughout the weekend to keep the energy high.

Caffeine and Chrome

Caffeine and Chrome is a feature festival of Gateway cars that’s held monthly throughout the year. This fall, you can stop in from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on September 24th, October 29th, and December 3rd. While checking out the muscle cars, classics, and exotic vehicles, you can enjoy coffee and pastries while supplies last. Pets are welcome here, so feel free to bring your furry friends along. For the October show, you can enjoy a trunk-or-treat event for the kids or stop by in December for the holiday party.

If you can’t make it this fall, check your calendars for the last Saturday of every month for future events.

Last Roar Car Show

The Last Roar Car Show is a show that the Rockton Lions sponsor. Held on October 2nd, this event starts at 8 a.m. for registration and goes on until 2 p.m. for guests. There are awards for the best of show and runners-up, and the first 100 cars to register get a dash plaque for participating. Food trucks and live music will be around all day to keep you fueled and moving while checking out various classic cars, motorcycles, and trucks.

Foundation for Focus House Car Show

This one is perfect for you if you want to check out a car show and support a local organization. It’s held on October 1st at the Autumn on Parade Festival, and the proceeds benefit the local Focus House to support at-risk youth. There are tons of trophies for entrants, and door prizes and raffles for all participants. If you want to check out some of the other fun at the Parade Festival, there’s a free shuttle back and forth to get you there and back safely.

Rusty Rodz

Rusty Rodz is another car show held on the last Saturday of every month through October. Held in Highland, Illinois, this show’s from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Participation plaques, prizes for guests, trophies, and live music are a great way to spend a Saturday evening with your family. The Rusty Rodz Car Club hosts this event.

Octoberfest Car Show

The third annual Octoberfest Car Show is held on October 1st at the Dupage County Fairgrounds. Along with the judges’ award, you can help to pick the winners with the participant or spectator choice. This can be a good choice if you want to support nonprofit organizations, as the proceeds benefit NAMI Dupage, which helps to fight mental illness stigma and provides community resources. Throughout the whole Octoberfest weekend, you can find other fun things for the whole family, including a carnival, raffles, live bands, and activities for kids.

Bartonville VFW 3883 1st Annual Classic Car Show

There’s not much information on this one yet, but the Bartonville VFW 3883 is hosting its first annual car show this fall at 10 a.m. on October 16th. Check the VFW’s website for updates and information about this show.

After checking out some of these classic and contemporary cars and trucks, stop by Ike Honda to check out our new and used inventory to get yourself a new pair of wheels. Our certified professionals help you find the perfect car to fit your style, needs, and budget. Contact us today to schedule a test drive.

Before you stop in, you should check out some of the resources on our website to make your trip as smooth as possible. For example, you can apply for financing to save time or estimate the value of your trade-in. While you’re there, you’ll find more information about our parts and service department. With our certified maintenance professionals, you’ll be able to get the most life out of your car and maybe enter it into a classic car show in a couple of decades.