Old Man Winter is finally fading in our rearview mirrors, and you know what that means: car show season is upon us.
From stylish aftermarket mods, to fully-restored classics; from rubber-burning race machines, to chilled-out city cruises with friends—we’ve compiled a list of uber fun events in Kansas City for everyone to enjoy. Let’s check out what’s popping this summer in the Heart of America.
KC Showdown Presents: The Car Show
When: Sunday, April 30th @ 10:00am – 5:00pm
Where: Legends Field, 1800 Village West Pkwy., Kansas City, KS 66111
If you’re in Kansas City and looking for a car show near you, the annual KC Showdown Car Show is the perfect springtime auto event. With over a thousand enthusiasts RVSP’d on the Facebook page, this is sure to be one heck of a time.
All makes and models custom or classic are encouraged to enter for the potential to win one of the Top 50 awards. It’s only $25 to register your ride for the show, and entry is free to spectators.
There’s set to be multiple food options, including some classic Kansas City barbecue from Pit Stop Catering. This is a family-friendly event, complete with a bounce house and face painting. Be sure to show up before 2pm if you plan to enter your car into the competition!
KC East Car Meet & Cruise Night
When: Every Saturday from April 1st to October 7th @ 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Where: Dollar Tree parking lot, 930 Rte. 7 N., Blue Springs, MO 64014
This locally-organized small auto show is free and open to anything with four wheels. This will be the 3rd year of this weekly summer event, and it’s sure to be a great way to spend a Saturday night and make some new friends. Expected vendors include KCrazy Vinyl, KC Showdown, and St. Jude Church.
If you’re in the suburbs of KCMO, come hang and ride around with fellow car enthusiasts. All ages welcome.
Corvette Club of Kansas City Monthly Meeting
When: Wednesday, May 17th @ 5:45pm – 8:00pm (Monthly, every 3rd Wednesday)
Where: Cinzetti’s Italian Market Restaurant, 7201 W. 91st St., Overland Park, KS 66216
Are you a Chevy muscle enthusiast looking for a Corvette show near you? If so, the search is over.
This monthly Corvette Club starts out at Cinzetti’s in Overland Park, one of the finest all-you-can-eat buffets in the Midwest, featuring Italian classics like lasagna Bolognese, pizza, fresh pasta, bakery goods, and more.
After you’re nice and stuffed, the Corvette show begins at 7 o’clock sharp. Chat with fellow Chevrolet sports car fans, marvel at the different models available, and maybe even get the lowdown on the future of electric sports cars, with the upcoming Corvette E-Ray coming to market later this year.
Fast & Furious 10 Movie Premiere and Car Show
When: Friday, May 19th @ 6:00pm – Whenever
Where: AMC Theater, 8101 NW Roanridge Rd., Kansas City, MO 64151
As Dominic Toretto once said, “There’s always room for family.” That’s why this impromptu all-ages car show is free of charge—visitors and entrants alike just have to show up, and all makes and models are welcome.
The show itself will be held in the parking lot of the AMC Barrywoods 24, with a designated area on the western side of the lot for show entrants. A few local vendors are set to show up as well, including KCrazy Vinyls if you’re looking for some stickers and decals, and Tasty Unicorn Ice Cream for the perfect summer evening cool-off. There will also be a booth accepting donations to Stand for the Silent, an anti-bullying and child suicide nonprofit organization.
The casual car show ends around 7pm, at which point guests will be invited to attend a group showing of Fast X in IMAX—be sure to buy advance tickets and pick your seats if you plan on catching the movie!
After the flick, everyone is invited to head across the parking lot for a late dinner. Come hang out, eat some wings, and talk about how sick the movie was. For any questions, hit up the event organizer, KC Car Meets.
KC Slammers Model Cars
When: Sunday, June 11th @ 9:00am – 3:00pm
Where: Overland Park Convention Center, 6000 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66211
Are rowdy, piped up motors and thundering sound systems not really your thing? Fret not, because there’s more than one kind of local car show near you this weekend—this one caters to those of us who like cars you can fit on a bookshelf.
KC Slammers is a model car club in Kansas City that has a history over 30 years running. It was founded to promote the art of building scale models of the uproarious life-sized machines we all love, from classic cars, to modern sportsters, and everything in between. Truck and motorcycle models are also celebrated in the club.
The event features model car vendors and enthusiasts from far and wide, with over 400 fully built replicas on display.
Registration and judging takes place on Saturday the 10th, from 2pm to 7pm, so be sure to show up if you want your own model entered!
C10 Shindig Truck Show
When: Saturday, June 17th @ 7:00am – 4:00pm
Where: Cable Dahmer Arena, 19100 E Valley View Pkwy., Independence, MO 64055
This arena is normally home to all manner of sporting events, from Mavericks ice hockey, to Comets soccer, and even AEW wrestling. This June, though, they’re throwing a different kind of party: a classic Chevy truck show.
This bright and early event is for anyone with an appreciation for one of the pickup trucks that started it all. As one of the largest truck events in the Heartland, with over 750 entrants, it’s sure to draw some “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd. This is a one-of-a-kind chance to see all kinds of old school cool trucks. To qualify for display, all competitors must be a Chevy or GM model from 1998 or before.
The Meguiar’s Awards Ceremony judges will be dishing out prizes for best engine, best interior, best lift, and multiple Best of Show awards for every decade.
There’s also a Friday Night Cruise-In starting at 6:00pm the evening before the show at Classic Parts of America, located at 1 Chevy Duty Dr., Riverside, MO 64150. Come hang out, grab a bite to eat, meet local vendors, and make a whole weekend of it with some fellow Chevy truck fanatics.
KC Showdown Car, Truck, and Bike Show
When: Sunday, June 25th @ 12:00pm – 7:00pm
Where: E. H. Young Park, 1001 Argosy Casino Pkwy., Riverside, MO 64150
Think you have the best sound system in KC? Drive on out to Riverside and enter to compete in the Bass Wars audio comp hosted by Jimmy Pittman.
While you’re at it, you can enter your ride into the running for Best of Show in both domestic and import categories, both with a $500 grand prize. Awards are at 7pm, which makes this a great opportunity to beat the heat.
E. H. Young Park also has a ton of fun things to do nearby, including miles of trails and nature walks, pickleball courts, scenic views, and even a dog park for your furry friends. Bring the sun screen and some comfy shoes, because you’re gonna want to make a whole day out of this auto show near you.
The Great Car Show
When: Sunday, July 16th @ 10:00am – 3:00pm
Where: National WWI Museum and Memorial, 2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, MO 64108
When you have an event called “The Great Car Show,” you really have to put in the effort to live up to the name. Luckily, you’re in good hands.
For just $5, spectators will gain access to a truckload of vendors, snacks, family fun activities, and of course, more stellar old-fashioned cars than you can shake a gearshift at. Enter your car into the competition for just $40 for the chance to win one of their coveted awards.
The Great Car Show also presents a unique opportunity to cut off a few slices of history—while you’re there, visit that WWI Museum, and be amazed at the land, sea, and air machines that helped Allied Powers turn the tide of battle.
The WWI Museum isn’t the only exhibition hall, either. This yearly event is hosted as a fundraiser for the Kansas City Automobile Museum, one of the most impressive collections of antique rides and amazing monthly drive-in exhibits in the country. It’s located in Olathe, just a 20-minute drive from the car show. Be sure to check out both museums to make a true adventure out of this vintage car show near you!
Auto Beauty Car Show Part 3
When: Sunday, July 30th @ 10:00am – 5:00pm
Where: Auto Beauty Center, 3020 S. Jackson Dr., Independence, MO 64057
For the 3rd year running, KC Showdown presents the Auto Beauty Center Car, Truck, and Bike show. For a $25 dollar fee, you can enter anything that rolls for a chance to win a $500 prize for Best of Show—plus bragging rights, of course. If you’re looking for an upcoming car show near you to pass a sweltering summer Sunday, this is the perfect event.
Cool off with a variety of local vendors, and bring the young ones along because there’s gonna be a bounce house, free giveaways, and raffles. Proceeds from the event will go to NextStep Kansas City.
If you’re looking for something to do after, ABC is located only a mile away from Independence Center, which has all kinds of places to grab dinner within walking distance.
Wheels and Dreams Car, Truck, and Bike Show
When: Sunday, September 10th @ 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Where: Shawnee Town 1929, 11600 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS 66203
Just a quick jaunt southwest of KCK, you’ll find the quaint town of Shawnee, home to one of the most-attended antique car shows near you. Over 300 entrants and 5,000 spectators show up each year!
This event really has it all—delicious food trucks, killer live music, and plenty of vendors and sponsors to keep you busy when you’re not ogling the classic rides at this free-to-attend bonanza. Make it a whole day affair by checking out the town, with its fantastic selection of shopping and places to eat.
Registration begins on the 1st of May, so if you want to enter your ride, be sure to mark your calendar!
Bonus Event: The 2024 Kansas City International Auto Show
When: Thursday, March 14th 2024 – Sunday, March 17th 2024
Where: Bartle Hall, 301 # 13th St., Kansas City, MO 64105
You may be thinking to yourself, “What gives? I thought this was a list of 2023 events?”
Due to popular demand for an earlier event date, the folks who run the show have decided to push the 2024 show up to the springtime. In order to put on the best show possible, they’re skipping a year—unfortunately, there won’t be a KC Auto Show in 2023. So, we figured it’s never too early to save the date for a killer car meetup near you, right?
This auto show focuses on the cutting edge of car and truck technology, with the latest and greatest in brands like Chevrolet, Subaru, Toyota, Hyundai, and more. As with other big time automotive expos, there’ll be a cornucopia of food truck options, and tons of vendors, but that’s not all. The KC Auto Show is planning to have one of the region’s biggest electric vehicle experiences in the region. More details are yet to come, but for an idea of what to expect, check out the 2022 event’s floorplan.
We’re Gonna Have a Lot of Fun This Summer
This list is just scratching the surface of all the awesome car shows in Kansas City. If you’re looking for your next ride to win Best of Show, our Chevy dealer near you has brand new Corvettes and Camaros for sale, and tons of new vehicle specials all year long. Give our Overland Park dealership a shout at (913) 649-6000 for the full scoop.
