News Release

AKRON — The Akron Chamber of Commerce is hosting a charity car show on Saturday, Sept. 30.

The 2023 Autumn in Akron Charity Car, Truck and Bike Show will be at Pike Memorial Park then, with a rain date of Saturday, Oct. 7.

It’s a family-friendly community fundraising event, and everyone is invited to attend. Spectators are free, and the entry fee to show a car, truck or bike is $20 per vehicle. The show is raising funds for the Akron Las Donas Foster Children Care Cases Program, which benefits foster children coming to their new homes in Akron, and 100% of the proceeds from the event will go directly to the charity.

Each year, thousands of children are taken from their homes and placed into foster care as a result of neglect or abuse. Oftentimes they have nothing to take with them except the clothes on their back. Each Care Case the Las Donas are able to purchase includes a suitcase, pillow, blanket, toiletries and clothing. Representatives from the Akron Las Donas will be at the show.

For more information on the Akron Las Donas and this charity, contact Brenda Ross at (574) 835-1891.

Registration for the car show is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., judging starts at noon and awards will not begin before 3 p.m. A total of 30 trophies, including the top 3 in each class, six special interest trophies and a beautiful 40-inch tall Best of Show trophy will be awarded, along with a $50 cash prize.

Classes are broken down by decade, with a separate class for all motorcycles. There is no pre-registration.

All kids are welcome to compete in the Hot Wheels Drag Race Challenge at noon in which the winner will receive a trophy. After the race, kids will get to be special judges for the day and can pick out their favorite entry in the show. The entry with the most kids’ votes will win the Kids’ Choice trophy.

Children may pick up their judging ballots any time from 1-2:15 p.m.

Among the special interest trophies is People’s Choice, where anyone at the show, whether showing or spectating, may vote. Votes are $1 each, and everyone can vote for as many entries as they want, and all the proceeds go directly to the charity, with the winner earning a trophy.

There will be raffle and cash prizes up for grabs for both spectators and show entries. All guests can participate in the Car Show Treasure Hunt starting at 1:30 p.m.

Show entries must enter the soccer field at 325 N. Virgil St., and spectators may park at the main entrance at 323 Northwood Drive.

A Meta Quest 2 virtual reality gaming system valued at $300 will be raffled off during the awards ceremony. No purchase is necessary, and having a vehicle in the car show is not required to enter or win the raffle.

There will be food and drinks, including coffee and ice cream.

For more information, check out the show’s website, www.autumninakroncarshow.com, or Facebook at www.facebook.com/autumninakroncarshow. People may also email the show’s organizer and administrator, Nancee Ward, at [email protected] or call/text (574) 835-5280.

For those who would like to be vendors at the show, forms are available on the website or by calling Lori Tilden-Geiger at (574) 527-3000.