The car shows are coming! A season preview

By Jim Bohen, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: January 28, 2008 - 1:47 PM

This season preview presents some highlights. Dates and locations have been confirmed, but one or two might change, so check this column's weekly car show calendars (starting in spring).

Jan./Feb. - The World of Wheels (46th annual, today through Sunday, St. Paul's RiverCentre) and the Greater Northwest RV, Vacation and Camping Show (41st annual, Feb. 7-10, Minneapolis Convention Center) kick off the season.

March - The Greater Minneapolis and St. Paul International Auto Show fills the Minneapolis Convention Center with all the new models and more for nine days (Mar. 8-16).

April - The Gopher State Timing Association, the state's oldest car club, continues the state's longest-running show, the 52nd Annual Rod & Custom Spectacular, at the State Fairgrounds Coliseum April 12-13. Two car show/swap meets - sponsored by the Midwest Drag Racers Association (April 26, Anoka County Fairgrounds) and the First Fifty Auto Club (April 27, State Fairgrounds) - close the month.

May - The local Buick Club's Spring Extravaganza is May 4 at the State Fairgrounds, while the InterMarque Council's Spring Kickoff (May 17, Radisson Plymouth) brings vintage foreign cars out of storage. Mopars in the Park moves to the larger Dakota County Fairgrounds in Farmington (May 31-June 1).

June - The world's largest three-day rod and custom show - the Minnesota Street Rod Association's "Back to the 50s" - had a record 11,500+ cars last year. Expect the same June 20-22 at the State Fairgrounds. Possibly the last All-Ford Picnic is at the Ford plant June 1. This month also features the All-GM show (June 8, State Fairgrounds), the German Car Fest (June 14) and the Concours d'Elegance (June 15), both at St. Paul's Rice Park, and the Stone Arch Art Festival/Art of Classic Cars (June 14-15, Minneapolis).

July - Two big shows bookend July: the Iola (Wisconsin) Old Car Show (July 10-13) and the Car Craft Summer Nationals (July 25-27, State Fairgrounds).

August - The pre-1915 cars finish the annual New London to New Brighton Antique Car Run Aug. 9 at Long Lake Regional Park, with a Stockyard Days show the next day. August also offers the Muscle Car Classic (Aug. 3, Waterford Park Office Complex, Plymouth), the All-British show (Aug. 9, Ellingson Car Museum, Rogers), the Summer Spectacular (Aug. 22, Dakota County Fairgrounds) and the Twin Cities Collectors car show/swap meet (Aug. 30, Aquatore Park, Blaine).

Sept./Oct. - Motorbooks' "Wheels and Wings" is Sept. 6 in Osceola (Wis.), and the season closes with State Fairgrounds swap meets (Midwest Fall Swap Meet & Car Show, Sept. 27-28; Roadsters Twin Cities swap meet, Oct. 12), and the Drive for Kids (Oct.12).

Add the weekly "cruises" and hundreds of other shows and we'll see lots of cars (and trucks, motorcycles, etc.) this spring and summer

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