The 20th Annual C.A.R.S. Club Motoring Festival at McPherson College will take place Saturday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The student-run car show attracts rare vehicles from across the country. Last year more than 400 cars entered the show. This year’s event will again feature unique vehicles and special guests including Donald Osborne.
It all starts on Friday, May 3 when Osborne will be the guest speaker at a dinner event that kicks off the car show weekend. Osborne is a regular contributor on Jay Leno’s Garage on CNBS, and What’s My Car Worth for MotorTrend TV. He lends his considerable knowledge of car valuation to organizations such as the Historic Vehicle Association and RM Sotheby’s. Additionally, Osborne studied opera at Hartt College of Music in Hartford Connecticut, and is a talented singer.
Car enthusiasts are encouraged to participate in a Cruise-in also on Friday beginning at 6 p.m. on Main Street in McPherson. This event serves as a sneak peek at what will be on the show field and an opportunity for any car or motorcycle owner to display their rides in an informal show in downtown McPherson. There is no entry fee required for this fun event.
The Motoring Festival gets into high gear on Saturday. Cars will be let onto the field at 8 a.m. and a day full of activities is planned including demonstrations, tours of the Automotive Restoration facility, a Model T build, McPherson College and McPherson High School Jazz Bands performances, and food trucks, up until 3 p.m. when awards will be announced. A complimentary trolley will also be available for rides from campus to Main Street on Saturday. Pre-registration is open online until April 22 at a discounted rate. Registration is also available the day of the show.
This year’s show will feature an entry from Barn Find Hunter, Tom Cotter. Cotter digs through barns and garages in search of buried automotive treasures. He is the author of several popular Barn Find books and is a regular video contributor to Hagerty’s online media. He recently collaborated on a 1962 Ford Country Sedan station wagon with two McPherson College alumni, which will be part of this year’s show.
Other feature cars include a 1952 Ferrari 212, a 1914 Peugeot Indianapolis race car, and a 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda. The Motoring Festival brings a diverse field of vehicles together that includes cars, motorcycles, bicycles, tractors and even military vehicles. From the concours-quality vehicles to the unique and unusual to the student area that features works in progress, there is something for everybody.