Photo courtesy Pamela Shanklin.
This year marked the 47th year of the Pumpkin Run National Vintage Car Show.
The event was held Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 at the Clermont County Fairgrounds, and according to event organizers, the annual event saw “great weather and a great turnout.”
The annual car show is the largest car show in Southwest Ohio, and the event serves as a fundraiser for Shriners Children’s Ohio Hospital and other nonprofit organizations that support terminally ill children and children with disabilities.
The Pumpkin Run Nationals has drawn as many as 2,600 vintage automobiles from the local area, the region, and from as far away as Arizona and Canada. All cars and trucks must be 1974 or older, and the vehicle must run under its own power. Activities going on throughout the three-day event included live music, games, and much more.
The annual Pumpkin Run National Vintage Car Show is organized by the Fastiques Rod & Custom vintage car club, based in Owensville. Fastiques donates proceeds from The Pumpkin Run Nationals to Shriners Children’s Ohio hospital and other nonprofit organizations that support terminally ill children and children with disabilities.
The club also makes donations to organizations that serve military veterans.
Additionally, Fastiques partners with other local organizations to help run a successful event that benefits the whole community.
Fastiques member and Correspondence Officer Charles Jeffers said that this year, there were about 55 more car entries this year than last year.
He noted that spectator attendance at the event was great, and he saw an increase in the number of children and families that attended. Proceeds from the gate fees and more will be used to make the organization’s donation, which usually comes in at $60,000 to the hospital and $10,000 to transportation efforts for patients to and from the hospital. Jeffers expects that the final tallies will come in later this year.
Looking back, Jeffers said that one of his favorite memories seeing the car that was raffled off in the 2018 Pumpkin Run show return this year as show entry.
He thanked all the organizers and volunteers for their time, and he said he’s encouraged by what the event’s future holds.