HICKORY CORNERS, Mich. — Car show season is coming to a close and the Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club (KAARC) is celebrating not only 60 years celebrating Michigan's automotive history, but 40 years of their flagship event-- and one of the biggest car shows and swap meets in the state!
The Red Barns Spectacular is the exclamation point at the end of summer for car and trades enthusiasts of all ages— and a major fundraiser for education in the area.
What started out as a joint fundraiser for the club and the (then) budding Gilmore Car Museum now supports Kalamazoo County high schoolers starting their careers in the trades and young innovators at Western Michigan University, pulling funding in for scholarships, tools, and educational programs.
Saturday, August 5, the show itself takes over every open space at the museum's grounds-- we're talking 90 acres filled with thousands of rare and meticulously restored antiques, classic muscle cars, boats, and automobiles of all kinds, plus vendors peddling everything from car parts and trades equipment to crafts and rare items.
And did we mention the camping?
Tin-Can Alley, as it's become known, is a rustic campsite right there on the grounds where antique campers line up for a weekend under the stars!
The Red Barns Spectacular is 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., with an awards ceremony judged and people's choice cars at 3 p.m.
See the show for the cost of admission to the museum, or pile the family into your own classic vehicle and be part of the show for just $25.
The Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club is looking for new members! If you're interested in traveling the state to tour Michigan's automotive history and helping support educational programs in West Michigan, hit up the KAARC booth while you're at the show to find out how to join.
Grab a bite from the vintage Blue Moon Diner, try your hand at KAARC's all-day trivia, find your dream car in the sales lot, and enjoy a day out with family at the Red Barns Spectacular!
