These events bring in over a half million visitors each year, resulting in an economic impact of $100 million to Cumberland County.
For nearly 50 years, car enthusiasts have traveled from around the world to Cumberland Valley Pennsylvania to admire the automotive wonders, share and grow their passions, and explore the fields of the Carlisle Fairgrounds.
In 1974, Bill and Chip Miller – no relation – founded Carlisle Events with the intention of highlighting cars from the 1950s and 60s, which was outside the norm at the time. The success of the first event in September 1974 (in later years known as Fall Carlisle), led to Spring Carlisle within a couple of years. The Millers purchased the spacious 82-acre Carlisle Fairgrounds in 1981 after years of renting the grounds, which allowed the show to grow for specialty collectors with the addition of shows like Corvettes at Carlisle and Ford Carlisle.
Now, with eight weekend-long events per year in Carlisle (and another two in Florida), auto aficionados and their families, along with thousands of vendors, fill Cumberland Valley hotels, dine at restaurants, and support many small businesses throughout the county.
Regional Manager at Comfort Suites Downtown Carlisle, Robert White said “We look forward to each car show weekend. The shows increase volumes at the hotel and our restaurant, 1794 The Whiskey Rebellion. We have numerous regular loyal car show customers that continue to book with us each year. The Car Shows were one of the few events that brought business to town in 2020 providing much needed revenue for the hospitality, restaurant, and retail sectors.”
The Carlisle Events auto shows and auctions bring over a half million visitors from across the globe to the Cumberland Valley, as the shows provide nearly $100 million in economic impact for the region.
Carlisle Events Public Relations Manager, Mike Garland said “when guests come to the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds for an event, they aren’t just doing their thing with us. Their fun with friends and family extends into the Cumberland Valley, its shops, businesses, restaurants, and lodging. Frequently we hear from our guests that they plan a day before or after car show weekend to explore, either the hiking trails, craft breweries, Gettysburg, or even the antique stores. Coming to Carlisle isn’t about the destination (in this case a car show), it’s about the journey and all that the Cumberland Valley has to offer.”
View a list of upcoming Carlisle Events shows here.
