Great Car Show Returns to Liberty Memorial This Sunday

This Sunday, the grounds of Liberty Memorial will be the place to kick tires downtown when the National World I Museum and Memorial co-hosts its third annual “Great Car Show” along with the Kansas City Automotive Museum.

More than 400 vehicles are expected in a unique car show with no judgement. Anyone who wants to display their car is welcome–although there also will be an invitation-only area for a select group of rare vehicles.

“It’s an incredible cross section of vehicles from the early 20th Century to the modern era,” said Mike Vietti, director of marketing and communications for the World War I Museum. “There will be cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and some that aren’t.”

The fundraising event drew 3,000 people last year despite a bit of morning rain, and Vietti is anticipating a good crowd Sunday. And while the forecast is calling for slightly less intense heat, there will be plenty of places to cools off.

“There will be plenty of shaded areas, tents, lots of trees, so people will be able to get shade,” he said. “They also can use the restrooms and get water at the museum.”

The event co-hosted with the Automotive Museum in Olathe has netted $70,000 total for both non-profit organizations since it started.

Tickets, which can be purchased at the event, are $5 for adults, $2 for youth and children under 6 years old are admitted free. Combo tickets that also include admission to the National WWI Museum and Memorial are also available.

The car show allows anyone to enter who wants to display their vehicle although there is an invitation-only area for some rare and select cars. (Photo courtesy of National World War I Museum and Memorial)

The hours for the Great Car Show are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Besides the cars being displayed by their owners, including classics, hot rods, exotics, muscle cars and antiques, there also will be vintage military vehicles and an opportunity ride around the grounds in a Ford Model T from the early 1900s.

Among the 20 vehicles on display in the invitation-only area are a 1964 Porsche 904, a Ferrari F430, a 1922 Duesenburg Roadster, a 1927 yellow hot rod called the “Zipper,” and a 1957 Chrysler Imperial convertible orignally owned by Dr. Charles Mayo of the Mayo Clinic.

There also will be food trucks, educational automotive displays, face painting, balloon artists and more. Nearly 10,000 people have attended the first two years of the event, according to a press release.

“Our goal is to make people aware of the great work done by both organizations,” Vietti said. “The amount of activities for kids and people of all ages put it in a separate category from most car shows.”

More information can be found here.