Carlisle Events and its world-famous events have been a staple in automotive circles for decades, and as Carlisle looks towards 2024 and its 50^th Anniversary Season, the drive train behind America’s Automotive Hometown are pleased to announce an enhanced season-long partnership with Hemmings, the world’s largest collector car marketplace.

For 70 years (1954) Hemmings has been growing and uplifting the collector car community, while for 50 years (1974) Carlisle Events and its car events at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds have been “the holy grail” of automotive destinations for car lovers from around the world. In 2023, Hemmings and Carlisle Events partnered in a variety of ways, including Hemmings presenting the Hemmings Club Challenge awards at select events, while also offering support for private events such as the per-show celebrity luncheons.

Now, in 2024, Hemmings is excited to return to Carlisle as the Presenting Sponsor for Spring and Fall Carlisle while continuing the ever popular, Hemmings Club Challenge.

Spring Carlisle is the first Carlisle-based event on the 50^th Anniversary season schedule and it’s also the biggest all-around event at Carlisle.  The annual Spring offering takes place April 17-21, while Fall Carlisle wraps up the Carlisle schedule and takes place October 2-6.  Each event welcomes thousands of vendors selling millions of automotive parts, collectibles, merchandise, and more.  These two events have been the perfect book-end car events for the nearly 200,000 guests who trek to Carlisle, either to jump-start automotive events season or take advantage of one last shopping opportunity prior to the cooler months of fall and winter. In total, nearly a half million guests will pass through the gates of the fairgrounds and these enthusiasts will be welcomed by one of the most iconic and timeless brands within our hobby celebrating their 70^th Anniversary, Hemmings.

“The Hemmings brand is synonymous with the automotive hobby. The fact that they’ve been in business for 70 years shows the depth of their popularity and relevance to automotive enthusiasts, builders, buyers, and sellers,” said Ed Scholly, Director of Business & Event Development for Carlisle Events. 

“The Hemmings company and staff share many of the same goals and interests as Carlisle Events. We see a productive future in bringing our events together with the media and market interests of Hemmings.com and Hemmings Media,” added Scholly. “I can undoubtedly say that we are thrilled to work with such a great company and team like Hemmings as they present our Spring and Fall automotive flea market events for the next two years as well as support the Club Challenge and event gatherings throughout the season at Carlisle,” continued Scholly.  “As they celebrate 70 years and we celebrate 50 years, it’s fair to say that our individual pasts have forged a path forward to the present, with a brighter future together!”

“We look forward to celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Carlisle Events and the 70th Anniversary of Hemmings at the iconic Spring and Fall Carlisle events and to sponsoring the beloved Hemmings Club Challenge,” said Hemmings President, Jonathan Shaw. “This partnership is a testament to our unwavering commitment to grow and uplift the collector car community by bringing together enthusiasts from all corners of the country to celebrate our shared love for cars and the rich culture that surrounds them."

Complete details on the 2024 Carlisle Events season can be found at CarlisleEvents.com.  While there, enthusiasts can register to show a vehicle, secure vending and car corral spaces, purchase discounted spectator admission tickets, season passes, gift cards, and best of all, learn all about each event promoted by the Miller families and Carlisle Events.  The 2024 season starts just after the holidays, with Auto Mania (January 19-21, 2024) at the Allentown Fairgrounds.      

Last year Carlisle Events and area Lions Clubs came together to raise $10,000 which benefitted the Carlisle branch of the Salvation Army and ultimately lent itself to support Ukrainian relief efforts.  For 2023, the Lions/Carlisle Events relationship continued, this time with the cause being more personal to the Lions Clubs; their International Disaster Relief Fund. 

Carlisle Events is pleased to share that spanning just five events in 2023, the dedicated team of Lions volunteers netted $7,034.76.  This total translates to approximately $41 per hour/per event for the Lions and reflects the continued giving nature of car show guests of Spring Carlisle, the Carlisle Ford Nationals, Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, Corvettes at Carlisle, and Fall Carlisle. 

100% of donated dollars go directly to disaster relief efforts around the world, with no administrative or overhead cost being removed.  In a year filled with a variety of domestic disasters including fires in Hawaii, tornados in the mid-west, flooding in various locations, and even major snowfalls, the Disaster Relief Fund by way of the Lions Club was there to render aid to those in need.

Lions Club members who participated in 2023 came from different clubs from Lions District 14-C.  These clubs included Carlisle, Boiling Springs, Mt. Holly Springs, Jacksonville (Walnut Bottom), Shippensburg, The Brogue Community Lions, Newville, and Stewartstown.

“It has been an honor working with Carlisle Events to raise donations for such a great cause as Lions International Disaster Relief,” said Ray Highlands, from the Carlisle Lions Club and current Zone Chair.  “Lions in just July, August, and September of this year provided $1.6 million in disaster relief efforts to 92 different locations, such as the Wildfires in Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada, flood relief in New York, Vermont, and even here in Pennsylvania, along with a response to earthquakes, typhoons, floods, and more around the world,” continued Highlands.  “Everything Lions does to help their communities is directed through the more than 48,000 clubs in over 200 countries to ensure the assistance gets to where it needs to be.”

Not only are the Lions Club members pleased with the giving ways of the car show guests, but Carlisle Events co-owner Bill Miller Jr. appreciates them too, plus the hard work put in by the Lions throughout the season. 

“Lions Club members have been an important part of our events the past two seasons,” noted Miller.  “Their friendly nature at our gates compelled countless guests to donate and support those in need, first with our Salvation Army/Ukrainian Relief Efforts in 2022, then with their Lions International Disaster Relief efforts in 2023,’ continued Miller.  “I look forward to welcoming them back to Carlisle in 2024 and can’t wait to see what they’ll do next.” 

Attending a car show at Carlisle isn’t just a great way to support those in need, it’s an affordable family outing.  Kids 12 and under are always admitted free at Carlisle and for details on vendor or Showfield registration, event specifics, or to purchase discounted spectator admission tickets, call 717-243-7855 or visit CarlisleEvents.com.