Stillwell Ford to host annual car show Saturday
HILLSDALE — Car dealership Stillwell Ford in Hillsdale is preparing to host its seventh annual car show Saturday, Sept. 9.
“We are expecting over 500 show cars and over 1,000 spectators,” said Eric Hoffman, president of Stillwell Ford.
The car show is free and will be from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Stillwell Ford on its car lot, 3780 Carleton Road. Free coffee and doughnuts will be available in the morning as well as two different local food vendors that will also be on site.
“As the day goes on, we have food trucks that will be available, Cottage Inn Pizza and Wieners and Tacos on the Fly,” Hoffman said.
There will also be a 50/50 raffle, with the proceeds going to support the local nonprofit Child Abuse and Prevention Awareness of Hillsdale County (CAPA).
The show is open to all participants and car models, though registration is required.
“There are so many unique vehicles that show up every year, it’s fun to walk around and see all the history,” Hoffman said. “It’s a great day to come out and see all the classic cars and some modern-day vehicles.”
The first car show was held in 2016 to honor Stillwell Ford’s 50th anniversary. They have been held every year since then, except for one that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The community response has been tremendous over the years,” Hoffman said. “After the first show, everyone talked about the great time they had. They would all say, ‘You have to do this again.’”
Ever since then, the car show has steadily grown, both with returning attendees and brand-new ones.
“We have grown the number of show cars and spectators every year since we started. The 517 show cars last year was a record, hopefully, we see more this year,” Hoffman said.
The dealership’s employees come together to help organize the car show.
“We clear the entire lot of our vehicles late Friday, allowing us to have hundreds of show cars,” Hoffman said.
Subscribe Now: For all the latest local developments, breaking news and high school sports content.
Participants in the car show get to have their picture taken in front of an American flag backdrop as they enter through the main Stillwell Ford showroom entrance. They will receive a calendar later in the year with their picture.
“Spectators will park at our Collision Center/ Detail building, and we will have overflow parking at the Assembly of God Church,” Huffman said. “After the drawings and giveaways, all the show cars will exit the dealership headed towards Hillsdale.”
Registration is required for cars to participate in the show. You can pre-register your show car at stillwellford.com.
— Elyse Apel is a correspondent for The Hillsdale Daily News. She can be reached by email at ehawkins@hillsdale.edu.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Stillwell Ford to host annual car show Saturday, Sept. 9
