Florida in February, that sounds like a dream come true, right?  For snowbirds and car lovers alike, this dream is reality as Carlisle Events presents Winter AutoFest Lakeland, February 21-23, 2020.  The three-day affair takes place at the spacious and state-of-the-art SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus in Lakeland and offers a little something for everyone who attends.  We’re talking special displays, guests, food and those “wow” moments with friends and family that can’t easily be duplicated!

When the gates open for the first time at 8 a.m. on February 21, those who are part of the show or who pay the $10 spectator admission (kids 12 and under are free) will step into an automotive lover’s paradise.  Vendors, as part of the automotive flea market, lace the grounds from fence line to fence line, offering an eclectic mix of collectibles, merchandise, home goods, automobilia and of course the much-needed automotive pieces and parts for a DIY restoration project.

From parts shopping to cars for sale, Winter AutoFest has that too…lots of that!  Carlisle Auctions presents a two-day collector car auction (February 21-22) featuring 400+ consignments spanning automotive history.  The auction starts at 10:30 a.m. each day and at 1:30 p.m. on February 22, will feature an all-Corvette themed hour.  In addition, there is a car corral with cars and trucks for sale by owner.  Each avenue affords the buyer a chance to start a collection or add to an existing one, all at an affordable price point. 

Items and cars for sale aren’t the only draw for Winter AutoFest Lakeland, as a septet (that’s 7) of car themed showcases offer a chance for owners to show and showgoers to gaze on in amazement.  Returning features include the 42^nd annual NCRS Winter Regional Corvette Meet, the FREE cruise-in as well as the Corvette and Mustang displays.  Each are expected to be bigger and better than ever.  The Corvette and Ford displays also host vendors specific to the brands and offer photo ops with an airplane, while the Corvette showcase welcomes GM Certified Technician Paul Koerner.  Koerner will host seminars and offer one on one diagnostic sessions.

What’s new in the car world is that Winter AutoFest now welcomes the Mopar brand to Lakeland.  This display hosts Dodge, Plymouth and Chryslers just to name a few.  If the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals in Pennsylvania each July is any indication as to what type of turnout this display will see, it’ll be a can’t miss, that’s for sure.  Along with the Mopars on display, Lou Santiago will be on hand too.  Lou is a car show TV staple on programs like Car Fix on MotorTrend and he too will host seminars and meet with fans.

Another car showcase comes in the form of TWO Featured Vehicle Displays.  One display includes race prepared vehicles.  Regardless of brand, if it’s a race prepared car, truck or motorcycle, it’s welcome for this display.  The other is a 50-year gathering of 1970 cars/trucks.  Each display; however, is vetted and those interested must apply at www.CarlisleFeatures.com.  The final “new” aspect ties back to the existing free cruise-in.  All-new in 2020, registered cruise-in participants receive a discounted offer to buy the event shirt so they can proudly represent the coolest event in central Florida anytime they want! 

Finally, Winter AutoFest is pleased to host the Air & Coach Concours.  This gathering of luxury motor coaches and their passionate owners will find itself positioned near the camping area on northwest side of the facility.

Register today and learn about this amazing all-star event at www.CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.

Carlisle Events has been doing “the car show thing” since 1974 with great success.  That success over the past 46 years has led to expansion, including events in Florida.  Now, with the growth of Winter AutoFest in Lakeland, Carlisle Events is pleased to announce that an all-new car show element is coming to the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus starting at 8 a.m. daily and running February 21-23, 2020.

First it was Mustangs in 2015, then it was Corvettes in 2019…now, Mopar Madness takes over the show.  With a passionate enthusiast base who can often be heard saying “Mopar or no car,” it’s a given that not only will there be a solid turnout of cars and car owners, but vendors specific to the brand and fans, too.

For Carlisle Events, a Mopar themed showcase is nothing new.  Annually, each July in Carlisle hosts the world’s largest all-Mopar themed weekend; the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals.  That show draws nearly 3,000 cars and 60,000 guests, including a massive Mopar flea market.  While the showcase in Lakeland won’t be that big, it will still offer some themed displays, guests and seminars. 

Details are still being ironed out on the guest and seminar front, but Lou Santiago, of Car Fix on Motor Trend is slated to appear. Mopars will be part of the 1970/50-year showcase and Santiago, as well as others specific to the hobby will talk with guests about their beloved rides.  Parts shopping will also be key to this display and Carlisle Events is now accepting vendor registration.

“Mopar owners are arguably the most passionate and loyal of any automotive brand,” noted Carlisle Chrysler Nationals event manager Ed Buczeskie.  “There are a lot of Chrysler enthusiasts in Florida and since Ford and Chevrolet were being featured, I wanted to make sure the Pentastar was represented too. Rather than focus on one nameplate, ALL Mopar brands will be welcome.”

There are three great ways to experience this all-new showcase at Winter AutoFest Lakeland.  The best way would be to show and car owners can do so at one of two price points.  The $75 VIP package offers weekend admission for the car, car owner and a guest, plus two VIP bidder passes to the two-day auction, powered by Carlisle Auctions.  In addition, the $75 option allows its holder and guest access to the VIP bidder’s breakfast on Saturday morning; offers two days of celebrity judging; exclusive photo opportunities to showcase your Mopar; a FREE event t-shirt and more!

Option two is a $25 Fun Field pass.  Again, the car, car owner and guest will be part of the event each day, but are only eligible for the two days of judging along with auction access.

Finally, anyone can see the Mopars, the Mustangs and the Corvettes, the auction and/or shop the automotive flea market by purchasing a single day or full event spectator ticket.  Simply park in the general parking lot, pay admission, walk on grounds and enjoy all that the event has to offer.  While it is very much an option at $10 per adult (kids 12 and under free), it just might be more fun to be the attraction rather than just seeing the attractions.

Complete event details including links to register can be found at www.CarlisleEvents.com via the Winter AutoFest Lakeland page or by calling 717-243-7855 today!   

Cyber Monday marked the official launch of Awesome Joe Auctions™, the new online auction house for the modern enthusiast that offers a collection of modified, motorsport, classic, exotic, and other commodity autos for collectors, racers, and hobbyists.

Developed by Andy Lally ALIVE® and Carlisle Auctions, the consignment arm of Carlisle Events® (one of the largest event organizations in the United States), Awesome Joe Auctions was created to capture all the excitement of a live car, truck, and motorcycle auction and put it in the palm of every motoring enthusiast’s hand.

“We work to ensure the safety of online transactions by subjectively assessing vehicles with the utmost regard for value and credibility standards,” said Lance Miller, co-owner of Carlisle Auctions. “From the start we offer buyers and sellers a streamlined purchasing experience, with a growing network of partners that provide everything from financing to logistical support once the auction ends.”

Those industry experts include Motul, Auto Appraisal Group, Inc., Grundy Insurance for classic automotives, Lockton Motorsports Insurance, and many other service providers.

The “Awesome Joe” origin story is based on Awesome Joe Racing, the New Jersey racing team founded by Gerald “Jerry” Raffa. A lifelong racing enthusiast, Jerry invested heavily in the development of his local racetrack and dedicated himself to supporting and promoting the sport he loved.

Both the racing team and auction house are represented by the bad-boy-in-a-leather-jacket mascot, Awesome Joe, who touts the wry humor and skill of a mechanic that can tell what your ride has under the hood at a glance.

Awesome Joe Auctions is the third product from ALIVE, with predecessors MotorCrush®, the app for motoring enthusiasts, and Track Rabbit®, the source for motorsports registration, in conjunction with a full range of marketing, design, and technology services. Together, this unique combination creates a cohesive, enhanced experience for the automotive and motorsports industry. With this latest launch, ALIVE continues to fuel and strengthen the community by connecting people to their passion in a meaningful way.

Buyers and sellers alike can head to AwesomeJoeAuctions.com today to place their bids. Successful auctions pay only 2% of the winning bid, and all accepted rides onto Awesome Joe Auctions are FREE TO LIST unless sold.

There was a time when the Carlisle Events season schedule ran April through October.  Spring Carlisle would start things off, with Fall Carlisle wrapping things up.  Over the past few years, due to demand, that trend has shifted.  Now, Carlisle Events offers an event 9 out of 12 months, including a season opening weekend in Allentown Pennsylvania.  Auto Mania, as it’s been known for decades, runs January 17-19 within the Agri-Plex building at the Allentown Fairgrounds.

Auto Mania takes place within a singular building on the 46-acre fairgrounds complex and thousands of enthusiasts travel from regional cities and towns to buy, sell and trade with total confidence.  The over 200 vending spaces are contained within a fully heated building, making an otherwise cold weekend in Lehigh County an automotive hot spot.  In addition to an all-automotive sales floor, attendees have an opportunity to snag a collector car via the car corral.  This forum allows for owner and seller to deal directly with one another in a no pressure, no haggle environment.

In addition to the car corral which varies in size depending on the weather, Auto Mania once again offers Pennsylvania's largest indoor and heated automotive flea market.  Within the facility, enthusiasts will find sold-out vending spaces packed with automotive pieces and parts.  Included within the building will be a wide array of aftermarket accessories, original restoration items, new old stock parts, merchandise, memorabilia, collectibles and more.

The annual Allentown weekend runs January 17-19 and not only can guests enjoy a buffet of automotive treats and treasures, less than 200 yards from the main entrance of the Agri-Plex is the Allentown Farmer’s Market.  This expansive footprint spans the underbelly of the fairgrounds grandstand and has all types of home grown and home cooked foods and treats.  This aspect of the weekend runs on Friday and Saturday only of Auto Mania weekend.

Finally, the best part of the show is the ease and convenience of finding it.  The Allentown Fairgrounds are less than two hours from New York City, Philadelphia and Scranton with major roads like I-78, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Route 22 all nearby.  In addition, because of its location on the fairgrounds property, ample FREE parking is available. 

Don’t just sit around waiting for spring time and car show season, beat the winter blues with Auto Mania and experience a mix of food vendors, plus even more vendors looking to move automotive pieces and parts, movies, collectibles, signage, merchandise, antiques, aftermarket accessories and more.  Event details can be found at www.CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.  Spectator tickets are just $10 (kids 12 and under are free) and must be purchased at the door during the event.  In addition, interested vendors who wish to be part of the event should connect with Carlisle Events via the aforementioned phone number. 

The chance to enjoy a car themed weekend at Carlisle has been on the motoring radar of car lovers around the world since 1974. For many of the last 45 seasons, access to some of the biggest events of their type in the world has been offered at a discounted price, all while expanding and growing to be destination events for car crazy enthusiasts of all ages. Now, as 2019 concludes and 2020 is right around the corner, Carlisle Events is pleased to offer its fans and followers an even deeper discounted opportunity to enjoy their time in America’s automotive hometown.

Holiday Sale 2020 commences on Black Friday, November 29 and doubles up on the savings for showing a car, while offering unmatched discounts on ways to experience events as a spectator.  Anyone planning to show and save can be part of any or all events at a 20% discount. It doesn't matter which event, if showing a car/truck is your way in, you'll save 20%. In addition, those that capitalize on the Showfield savings will also be offered a discount offer for the t-shirt of their event too.

But wait...there's more. Continuing the savings theme, spectator tickets for single day or multi-day event access are also offered at a 20% discount. Why pay full price for something you enjoy, right? With the savings feature on tickets, a bundle also ties in parking, which means that a ticket and reserved parking at a Carlisle Events operated lot is available at a discount! 

The 2020 Holiday Sale also includes discounted packages.  The discount savings vary per package and per event, but are as follows and include:  Spectator Package (two single day admissions plus reserved parking for one vehicle), Show and Shirt Package (Showfield and event shirt), Show and Camp Package (Import and Chevrolet only – Showfield and TWO camping spots), Fan Package (Ford and Chrysler only – Showfield, event shirt and die-cast) and finally, Corvette lovers have a bevy of Corvette themed packages to pick from. 

Online sales for all discount options commence on Black Friday, with phone and in person orders starting December 2 at 8 a.m. The discounted gift of a Carlisle car show continues through 5 p.m. on January 2, 2020. Phone and in person options run through 12 p.m. on December 20, with only online orders available thereafter (Carlisle offices closed for the holidays).

Call 717-243-7855 today to learn more or visit www.CarlisleEvents.com starting November 29 to accelerate your purchase!  The annual Carlisle Events holiday sale...capitalize on the savings and give the gift of Carlisle this holiday season.