Biggest Car Shows From Across the US

Driving in America is romanticized in many ways. Because of this, the US is home to some of the biggest car shows in the world.

These shows are often categorized in different ways and have various functions to them. The idea is to slowly drive down a road showing of a custom vehicle or display a brand new model coming out is wonderful. You can’t find a single weekend in the calendar that doesn’t have some type of car meet-up, car extravaganza, or car display happening.

Woodward Dream Cruise

An iconic car cruise takes place on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, every year. This is the home to the American auto industry, and this cruise dates back to a time before cars. Starting in 1848, carriage divers used to race along Woodward Avenue. Since that time, this has been the home of the Dream Cruise, which is the world’s largest one-day automotive event. This event, held in the middle of August each year, is worth the time it takes to find parking and witness the cruise for any car enthusiast.

Chicago Auto Show

The Chicago Auto Show’s scope and attendance now makes it not just one of the biggest car shows in America, but THE biggest. More than 1,000 vehicles go on display at this show every year. The event is held at the McCormack Place convention complex, next to Lake Michigan. Automakers and industry insiders from around the world flock to the Windy City to attend this show and see everything on display.

The Great American Trucking Show

Trucks are without a doubt an American passion, and it would be foolish to think that a show all about trucks wouldn’t be a hit. The Great American Trucking Show is held in Dallas, Texas, at the Kay Baily Hutchinson Convention center. Attending this show allows you to see some of the largest, most interesting, and most advanced trucks on the market today. You’ll see technology you didn’t know existed and experience semi-trucks in a way that you haven’t before. If you’re heading to Dallas when this show occurs, you can have a lot of fun at this trucking show.

North American International Auto Show

This show is also known as the DetroitMotor Show, and it used to kick off the calendar with its January date. That changed recently, and now this show is held in Junie. While the Chicago Auto Show is now the largest in North America, this show isn’t far behind. If you’re looking to attend the traditional platform for many US automakers to reveal their new products, this is the show you want to attend. The North American International Auto Show has been the benchmark for all other shows for a long time.

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Head to the sunny beaches of California and enjoy this week-long event. Pebble Beach is the place to be if you want to bump elbows with celebrities, rich people, and some of the most elegant cars in the world. Cars are put on display to be judged, auctioned, and celebrated with various cocktail hours. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion takes place during this event, and you won’t want to miss that either.

Corvettes at Carlisle

Who doesn’t love a Corvette? If you love these amazing cars, you’ll want to attend this show. This is one of the biggest car shows in America, and it’s all about the Corvette. Typically, around 5,000 Corvettes are displayed with more than 50,000 fans visiting to check them out. The event takes on a performance air as the cars parade through Downtown Carlisle performing burnouts and showing off some of what they have to offer. Head to Harrisburg, PA, in August and see this event in person.

Bonneville Speed Week

When you want to see cars in action and not just on display, this is the show you want to attend. The Bonneville Speed Week is the biggest of the car shows of its kind, and it takes place on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah. These hard salt crusts create the ideal setting for safety and speed as these vintage cars rase to see if they can break old and new records set there in previous years.

Los Angeles Car Show

The massive LA convention center is where you’ll find this amazing show. More than 50,000 people attend each year to see the incredible cars on display at the 1,000,000 square foot location. Some of the cars offer free public test drives, which allows you to get into the action when you attend. There’s plenty to see, lots to do, and you won’t have to pay anything to get in and see the amazing cars brought to this show each year.

Carlisle Ford Nationals

If you miss one show in Carlisle, you can catch the other. The Ford Nationals is held each June at the same location as the Corvette show. This is one of the biggest car shows going, with more Fords than you’ve ever seen before. New car test drives by Ford Motor Company and Ford Performance take place here.  This gives you an insider view of what new models can offer if they make it to production.

The SEMA Show

The SEMA Show occurs annually at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  This show took off when cars began to show up and become part of the action. This show used to be about electronics and technology, but now it’s about cars. Many tuners and automakers bring specialized models to this show to see how crowds react. Typically, there are more than 2,400 exhibits and 3,000 new products, not including the cars on display.

If you’re heading to Las Vegas at the start of the year, you’ve got to check out the SEMA show. Will you attend one of the biggest car shows in the US this year? Which one will it be?