Search
Resorts & LodgesVacation RentalsDeals & PackagesTravel Guides
List Your Property

Old Car Festival: The Place to be for Lovers of the Model-T

Best known as the birthplace of American icon Henry Ford, Dearborn is the ideal location for launching your next Michigan vacation adventure. The city is home to a variety of attractions, many of which pertain to Henry Ford or Ford Motor Company including Henry Ford Museum, Henry Ford's Fair Lane Estate, and more. Any fan of automobiles should make a beeline for the Automotive Hall of Fame, which contains a variety of exhibit galleries that highlight the rise of the automobile around the world.

 

The Old Car Festival is the longest running antique car show in America (2017 marks its 67th year), and it will take place September 9-10, at Greenfield Village. The event attracts more than 400 antique vehicles annually including cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to browse the collection of vehicles while talking to a variety of automotive collectors and historians. Great local music acts will perform live, and historically inspired street food will be available from a variety of vendors. One highlight will be a Model T assembly team assembling a Model T in less than 10 minutes. The event will close with the Gaslight Parade of Cars featuring many of the participating automobiles, as well as a fireworks show. We got the opportunity Melissa Foster, Media & Film Relations Manager for The Henry Ford, to learn about this massive automotive showcase.

 

RAL: How long has the event been running?

MF: This is the 67th year for Old Car Festival, America’s longest running antique car show.

 

RAL: How many annual participants do you draw?

MF: Participants range from 400-600 vehicles each year.

 

RAL: What demographic does your event attract? Children? Families? Couples?

MF: The demographic is car lovers of all ages. The Old Car Festival is a perfect event for families, friends, and couples.

 

RAL: What makes this event unique?

MF: At the longest-running antique car show in America, you’ll be immersed in the moving stories of the early automotive era, perfectly set in the place where the history of the American automobile not only is passionately preserved but comes to life every day. From the turn of the century to the Great Depression, Old Car Festival in Greenfield Village offers a collection of vehicles that epitomize the earnest optimism of the American Dream. Generations of car owners share their passion with fans during this beloved tradition, showcasing an astounding array of restored vehicles in an authentic hometown setting that brings you right into a long-ago moment.

 

RAL: Take me through the activities of a day at the event.

CC: Here is a breakdown:

  • Hundreds of historic autos, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles

  • Historically-inspired street food

  • Car talks with passionate car owners, automotive historians, and experts

  • Live music and dancing

  • Pass-in-Review parades

  • Special demonstrations

  • Awards showcasing the best restored and unrestored cars

  • Model T assembly team

  • Saturday evening Gaslight Parade of Cars, with kerosene and early electric lamps, capped with a Dixieland-style parade and fireworks

 

RAL: What will attendees encounter for dining options?

CC: There are plenty of food options available including our cafeteria-style restaurant Taste of History, our 1850s-style Eagle Tavern, Mrs. Fisher’s Southern Cooking, Frozen Custard, and Carnival Creations. There is something for the whole family!

 

RAL: Tell us about the overall atmosphere?

CC: Greenfield Village visitors experience 300 years of American history through 83 authentic, historic structures, four living history farms, historic rides such as original Model T’s and nationally-renowned artists creating one-of-kind 19th and 20th-century pieces in pottery, tin, and glass. While you'll find amazing authentic structures such as Henry Ford’s childhood home and Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratory, Greenfield Village is also home to nationally-renowned events such as our signature Halloween and Holiday Nights programs.

 

RAL: Are there any lodging specials that are set up specifically for the event?

CC: We have partnerships with many local hotels/motels in the area that can found here.

 

RAL: Why should people come to your event?

CC: Not only will guests get to wander through the village, but they can talk to the car owners about their treasured vehicles. The ongoing Pass-in-Review parade is a car lover’s dream, as electric, steam and gas-powered engines are constantly in motion around you. Watch drivers engage in games of skill, see a Model T assembled in just minutes or just sit back and enjoy our experts sharing “car talks."

 

Ragtime America comes to life in the center of Greenfield Village with historically-inspired street food, music, dancing and even a cake walk. Plan to stay late Saturday evening for the Gaslight Parade of Cars, and dance along with the River Raisin Ragtime Revue as it performs traditional music of the ragtime era. Cap off the evening with a Dixieland-style parade and fireworks finale.


For more information about the Old Car Festival, please visit the event website.