History of the Hershey Car Show

The Hershey Car Show sponsored by the Hershey Region Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America (better known as AACA), is one of the biggest, oldest and most well known vintage car shows in the nation. The Hershey Antique Car Show has been in existence since shortly after the Hershey chapter was granted. Below is a brief history of the Hershey Car Show.

Chapter Status Granted

In early February of 1955, a group of twenty men and women held a meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania and agreed to petition the national headquarters of the AACA for recognition as a chapter. This petition was granted and the Fall Meet was scheduled to be held in the Hershey Stadium in early October of that year. The show had around 400 cars that were entered for judging. Rain caused almost 100 people to withdraw their registration, owing to the outdoor venue. Seven vendors of automotive products set up stalls, thus the swap meet was born the same year the first show was held. Volunteers from the local region handled all administrative chores of the show.

First Ladies Luncheon

A staple of the Fall Meet in Hershey has been the Ladies Luncheon. This event was initiated in 1956, the show’s second year. This event was held at the Hershey Community Inn.

First Decade

The fifties saw the inception of many of the staples of the Hershey Car Show we know today. Swap meet vendors were invited in the main show venue in 1958. It was also this year that these same vendors began being asked to pay registration fees if they made enough sales. In 1958, the much loved 1914 Ford “Chuck Wagon” was purchased for $500. In 1959, shuttle buses were introduced to make it easier for visitors to get to the show from the parking areas.

The Sixties

1960 witnessed the Silver Jubilee of the Antique Automobile Club of America. This year saw 891 cars entered in the show, causing the club to proclaim it as the largest individual gathering of classic and antique automobiles anywhere. This year saw the flea market vendors outgrow the space allotted to them inside the Hershey Stadium, causing show organizers to set off an area on the road between the Stadium and the car field. 1961 witnessed the kickoff the 16^th Annual Revival Glidden Tour. This caused registration to jump to 924, which could not be accommodated inside the Stadium. The Show’s ten year anniversary saw over 1,100 entrants, 335 vendors and over 35,000 visitors. The Hershey Motor Lodge hosted a Friday Night Welcoming Party in 1967. 

The Seventies

The beginning of the decade of the Seventies saw show registration stay around 1,000, while the number of visitors and flea market vendors (2900 plus in 1971) greatly increased. 1974 saw a new airfield for owners of small planes added as well as bus tours for show visitors. Flea market vendors saw the first amateur night introduced in 1978. The Three Mile Island incident didn’t dampen the number of entrants or visitors in 1979, with over 900 cars entered. 

The Hershey Car Show is known worldwide. It draws visitors and entries from around the globe. For more information on the show, visit the website.