Autofest making the move to Uxbridge this weekend; Kars on King on tap Friday in Oshawa

The show (and shine) must go on and this weekend the beauty and power of classic vintage cars at Autofest Nationals will happen, just like it has every (non-pandemic) year since 1994.

The difference in 2024 is the car show will now take place in Uxbridge and not Lakeview Park in Oshawa.

The Motor City Car Club, which has run the show since its early days – first  at General Motors headquarters and then Lakeview Park – made the decision in early December to move the event to Elgin Park in Uxbridge.

Eight weeks later the news finally broke – Autofest Nationals, or Autofest – one of Canada’s biggest classic and muscle car shows with car owners from across North America making the trek to Oshawa (as many as 1,500 classic cars are on display each year) – is moving to Uxbridge on the eve of  the 30th anniversary of the show and Oshawa’s 100th anniversary celebrations.

The format for the popular car show, save for trimming the event to two days from three, will remain virtually unchanged with the show opening its doors at Elgin Park at noon for the show & shine.

There’s an Old Skool Reunion, modern muscle cars and high/low trucks and vans, with food trucks, a silent auction, poker run and a kids’ zone.

Saturday night the park will be awash with the sounds of Leah Daniels and Ben Hudson for a three-set performance, with the artists playing everything from classic rock and country to boot scoot ‘n boogie and even a few pop tunes in a separately ticketed event.

Facebook was awash with responses from the public when the call was made to move the event to Uxbridge in late January, with some expressing disappointment but most showing anger and looking to place blame for the decision somewhere.

• “It feels like an insult to move Autofest from Oshawa to Uxbridge. Cars are such a huge part of our history.”
• “What a slap in the face to Oshawa and the history of the city.”
• “Uxbridge can stick it in the tailpipe.”
• “This can only be settled with a good, old fashioned Death Race 2000.”

The Motor City Car Club said they simply “outgrew” Lakeview Park.

“After 17 years at Lakeview Park, it’s time to grow and improve our location again,” the club said in a statement. “This is not just a change of location; it’s a huge upgrade to a gorgeous facility that better accommodates our changing needs.”

The club noted the Elgin Park site is “considerably larger” and is the “perfect backdrop” for the event.

The City of Oshawa took a philosophical approach, calling Autofest one of its “signature events” and wished them luck in their new location.

“Although we are disappointed to learn that Oshawa will not be home to Autofest in 2024, we thank the Motor City Car Club and wish them a successful 2024 event at this year’s location in Durham Region.”

Kars on King, the traditional Friday night kickoff to the two-day Autofest, will still happen in downtown Oshawa August 23, with about 400 cars expected to take over the urban core for a free car show.

Oshawa Councillor Brian Nicholson said earlier this year he was “saddened” by the move but confirmed Kars on King will go on Friday night and that the Motor City Car Club have agreed to work with the City “to ensure the same quality event in our downtown and to ensure that the amount and quality of the cars will continue.”

Kars on King will feature vintage cars on display, buskers and the Touch-a-Truck event, among other activities.

Kars on King

The popularity of Autofest has never waned over the years, even when the pandemic put paid to the 2020 show. Organizers just printed t-shirts commemorating the COVID-cancelled event as “the greatest show that never happened” and presented a modified drive-thru show the next year (still in pandemic restrictions) to keep the spark alive.

Nearly $10,000 was raised during those two lost years for the Grandview Children’s Centre, the charity of choice since the inaugural event in 1994, and the event has raised more than $400,000 for the charity in all.

This year Grandview Kids and Uxbridge Hospital Fpoundation will be the benificiaries.

From Corvettes to Corvairs to Camaros and from Dusters to Daytonas and Mustangs to Model Ts, oh my, Autofest always had it all and the show, as they say in the business, must go on.

This year it’s just going on in Uxbridge.