10s of thousands expected to attend Iola Car Show

One of Wisconsin’s largest and most anticipated summer events returns this week as the Iola Car Show & Swap Meet welcomes thousands of automotive enthusiasts from across the country.

The three-day event runs Thursday through Saturday on the 300-acre Iola Car Show grounds in Waupaca County. Since its beginnings in 1972, the event has grown into one of the nation’s premier gatherings for classic car collectors, restorers, hobbyists and automotive fans.

This year’s theme, “America’s Car Show & Swap Meet,” celebrates the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday with a patriotic display featuring red, white and blue collector vehicles, along with military vehicles that pay tribute to America’s automotive and military heritage.

Organizers expect more than 120,000 visitors during the three-day event. Attendees can explore approximately 2,300 show cars, browse more than 4,000 swap meet spaces filled with hard-to-find parts and automotive memorabilia, and shop the popular Car Corral featuring vehicles for sale. The event also includes vendor displays, live entertainment, food, family activities, and celebrity appearances from well-known personalities in the automotive world and television.

Gates open daily at 7 a.m., with show cars and Car Corral participants allowed entry beginning at 6 a.m. Daily admission is $20, while a three-day pass costs $30. The showgrounds are located at 350 Chrome Place in Iola.