Registration numbers are up for 37th Iola Old Car Show

An aerial view of the 2008 Iola Old Car Show.

Iola Old Car Show, Inc. is reporting an increase in registrations in all areas for this year’s July 9-12 car show in Iola, Wisconsin. Public Relations Director Mitchell J. Swenson notes, “The registrations are coming in and the numbers are up! The folks with collector cars are signing up, the swap vendors are signing up, and the volunteers are signing up and another great Iola Old Car Show is on the horizon. And, if you are looking for swap spaces – you better act fast: they’re selling out like hotcakes.”

The show is held in the village of Iola, population 1,300, next door to Old Cars Weekly and other Krause Publications/F&W Media offices, but grows to 130,000 during the classic car show event which is always held the second weekend of July. This year's theme is “Independents & Imports”.

The show began in 1972 with a modest dozen or so old cars being driven to the Iola Lions Club chicken fry. Each year, more and more classic cars attended and, essentially outgrew the park where the event was held.

Moving to Krause Publications, the event eventually grew into its own non-profit corporation. Now consisting of 300 acres including a campground, car coral, classic car auction, parking areas, and permanent facilities for food service and such, Iola Old Car Show boasts up to 2,500 show cars and literally increases the town’s population a hundred times.

Approximately 3,000 volunteers help make it happen and thus annually, the Iola Old Car Show distributes over $260,000 to some 120 service and civic groups with $4.75 million distributed since 1984.

For more information about the show, contact Iola Old Car Show, Inc., PO Box 1, Iola, WI 54945; phone: 715-445-4000; e-mail: information@iolaoldcarshow.com. You can also get the latest information on their Web site at www.iolaoldcarshow.com.

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