Celebrates “Unforgettable Fifties” with Celebrities, Influencers, and Industry Icons

Small town, big impact sees largest event yet with inaugural youth program
honoring the past and bridging to the future.

IOLA, WI, July 6, 2023 – The Iola Car Show is hosting its 51st annual event from July 6 through 8, 2023. The largest car show and swap meet in the country, over 2,500 show cars are on display along with over 4,000 swap meet spaces. Celebrating the theme of Unforgettable Fifties, special guests include Jerry Mathers of “Leave it to Beaver”, Derek Bieri of Vice Grip Garage, Emily Reeves of Flying Sparks Garage, and “Grave Digger” monster truck creator Dennis Anderson. 

“We are so excited to be at the Iola Car Show this year! It is an important and historic national event, and will be a wonderful opportunity to meet and interact with our fans in the Midwest," said Jerry Mathers. 

The Iola Car Show is a whole community, volunteer-driven event. With a population of 1,236, residents of the Village of Iola and beyond come together each year to host over 120,000 attendees. Proceeds provide direct benefit to over 130 local community organizations whose members volunteer their time to make the event possible. 

Family-friendly programming features Pre-War to Late Model show cars, themed buildings honoring automotive history, sprawling campgrounds, live entertainment, and interactive activities. Derek and the team from Vice Grip Garage will conduct a live 3-day build of a 1968 Firebird, shopping the swap meet to hunt for needed parts. The 6th Annual Miss Iola Pinup Contest has become the premier event of its kind in the Midwest, nestled between musical performances on the Tundraland Stage.

Additional industry icons in attendance include Jo Coddington, Butch Patrick, Von Hot Rod, Greg and Leah Stelse of Greg’s Speed Shop, Bill “Elvis” Stull, and Ali from Iola.

Event sponsors include USMA - Ebay Motors, Pepsi, Anheuser-Busch, Ford Motor Company, Toys for Trucks, Greg’s Speed Shop, Wisconsin Chevy Super Dealers, Volkswagen, Ford, Bring a Trailer, American Collectors Insurance, Ho-Chunk Gaming, BankFirst, Garage Experts of Fox Valley, Time Passages, and Community Insurance. 

Volunteerism across the country continues to decline. According to a 2023 report by the U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps, less than 25% of Americans aged 16 and above volunteered for an organization or association from September 2020 to 2021. That is down from 30% in 2019 and from 27.6% 20 years earlier when the survey began.

A model to revive small towns for big impact: The Iola Car Show aims to bridge the gap toward stronger civic engagement with volunteer and sponsorship opportunities that connect communities through a shared love of cars. Since incorporating as a nonprofit in the 1980s, over $9 million has been raised to date to support local organizations, and $30 million is generated annually in direct economic impact for the Central Wisconsin region.

Engaging youth remains critical as the classic car community continues to age. This year’s first-ever youth program was initiated and is being led by Hayden Nelson, a student at University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. The schedule includes a scavenger hunt and wayfinding exercise, “Foundry in a Box”, and more.

“There is a very strong tradition of volunteerism related to this organization, with more than 2,000 volunteers from in and around our community coming together to assist with the event. Their efforts have significant social and financial impacts on the more than 130 different organizations they represent. Our metrics leading into the show indicate this is going to be the biggest we’ve ever hosted, as we continue to honor the past and focus on evolving the Show for future generations,” said Joe Opperman, Executive Director of the Iola Car Show.

About the Iola Car Show: In 1972, author and publisher Chet Krause invited several local collector car enthusiasts to attend the Iola Lions Club Chicken Roast fundraiser as his guests. Twenty arrived with their classic cars, which quickly became a yearly tradition. The Iola Car Show is now the largest classic car show and swap meet in the country. The Show leverages the power of vehicles to create memories and transform lives. Proceeds each year provide direct benefit to over 130 local community organizations whose members volunteer their time to make the event possible. For more information, follow us on social media @IolaCarShow or visit www.iolaoldcarshow.com.