Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spring Carlisle Show needed to be rescheduled twice and by the time the annual spring offering took place, it was mid-June. Spring Carlisle fans were happy to finnally attend the event despite the delay. The show took place under four days of mostly sunny skies with those passionate vendors and guests who made the trek to America’s automotive hometown enjoying themselves and leaving happy. It was easy to see that most found what they were looking for, loading out with parts and items they’d been searching far and wide for.
Spring Carlisle 2020 ran June 17-20 and for the first time in sometime did not include an auction (canceled for 2020 only due to COVID-19). The fact that 1/3 of what makes this event what it is didn’t happen didn’t dampen the spirits of guests, as the automotive flea market and car corral didn’t miss a beat. A nice array of cars spanning all eras of production were for sale by owner, while vendors sprawled their wares across 82 acres, making the show a pickers delight.
One hiccup to the week was litigation via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania/Department of Health vs. Carlisle Events. After a few days of uncertainty, clarity was gained by everyone as the state withdrew its claim, allowing the event to move forward in accordance with Pennsylvania’s ‘Green” phase of operation.
Spring Carlisle even ended up still being the first show on the “home based” schedule despite its two-time postponement. Offering a little normalcy for everyone involved went a long way too, as feedback from participants was that of support and excitement throughout the week. Many vendors and event-goers expressed similiar feelings of relief, even despite the rain, it still everyone at Carlisle a sense that things really were back to normal.
“It’s important for our guests to know that we ARE open for business,” noted Carlisle Events co-owner Bill Miller, Jr. “What happened last week was just another speedbump on the road paved by 2020 to date. Of course the success of this came at a cost. I encourage everyone to support what we do here at Carlisle, either by attending in person or buying tickets/vending/registering to show,” added Miller. “You can even gift your purchase in case you can’t attend yourself. However you attend know that we’re here and we look forward to seeing you at Carlisle this year and beyond.”
With Spring Carlisle in the rear-view mirror, the Carlisle team turns their respective attention to the Carlisle Chevrolet Nationals. The two-day event runs June 26-27 and features displays such as GM’s of the ‘70s, 50 Years of the LS6 454, the Solid Lifter Showroom, 50 Years of the Monte Carlo plus a big Eastern National meet hosted by the First Gen Monte Carlo Club. Guests can even meet TV host and author Courtney Hansen at the show too (Saturday only). Support Carlisle Events, buy tickets and more at www.CarlisleEvents.com