Import & Kit Nationals to Feature Autos From Around the Globe
CARLISLE, PA - Since 1986, the Carlisle Import & Kit Nationals has showcased unique, rare and extra special vehicles at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds. This year's event, May 17-19, is no different. The showfield will play host to thousands of cars and tens of thousands of enthusiasts, all traveling from far and wide to be at America's Automotive Hometown, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
The festival atmosphere, which includes special displays, guests like Peter Brock, seminars and great food options, gets started at 7 a.m. Friday morning and will run through mid afternoon Sunday. Once the gates open, the showfield will be adorned with cars that highlight the best the automotive world has to offer. With at least seven different countries on display, Carlisle will feel more like the United Nations than a small town in the south central portion of the Keystone State.
While many countries and styles of cars will be on display, this year's feature will be Swedish vehicles. Enthusiasts who own a Saab, Volvo, Koenigsegg or something even rarer are encouraged to contact Carlisle Events for details on how to get involved. A select few of these cars will be positioned as part of the ever-popular Invitational Display, and showcased individually within the event directory.
Two other attractions make their return to Carlisle in 2013, the Passport Program and Downtown Carlisle Block Party. The Passport Program, in its third year at Carlisle, is a way to encourage enthusiasts to walk the grounds and enjoy every aspect of the event. A passport-style booklet is issued and as attendees visit each country onsite, their books will be stamped. Once the booklet is completed, it can be redeemed for prizes, including certificates to local establishments, gift cards, Import & Kit Nationals memorabilia, a free showfield registration for 2014 and a collectible pin.
The block party, on the other hand, will take place on Friday night of event weekend and is designed to encourage patrons to spend an evening in historic downtown Carlisle. The gathering will see the Carlisle borough bag select parking meters to allow for reserved parking for showfield vehicles that display their dash plaque and/or showfield sticker. This is not a parade, rather it is a collection of likeminded enthusiasts gathering to dine, shop and socialize "after hours" off grounds.
Best of all, the weekend will host a variety of live music. Bands that are local and regional to Carlisle will play the venue for three full days, and with tens of thousands of enthusiasts onsite and thousands of cars to admire, this is a great way to experience the Import & Kit Nationals. The sounds of jazz, rock and even some country will fill the air, making the weekend as much of a musical festival as it is an automotive one. Bands are slated nearly non-stop, meaning from the time the gates open Friday through the end of Sunday, there is literally something for everyone.
