As we turned our calendars to August, the most interesting and fun event to take place at this time every year is the Wheels of Time Rod & Custom Jamboree.
In this its 44th year, Wheels of Time Jamboree returns to Macungie Memorial Park August 25, 26 and 27. This gathering of the hottest, most vintage rods and custom cars will be on display over the Jamboree’s three day run. The event will showcase over 1,500 street rods and custom cars and trucks you won’t see on roads today, unless of course they’re heading to the Jamboree.
According to Brad Kohler, Wheels of Time President, this year’s show will have something fun and interesting for the entire family. Kohler says the event will feature Valve Cover Racing, Teeter Totter car balancing beam, Henry and Sue Wilts Dorney Park Speedway Memories, Old Time Plow Boys antique farm equipment and tractor show, The Nightrider and Red Barron TV show cars, America on Wheels Display, Rusty Frank and his Vargo Dragstrip Willys Pickup, S and W Race Cars and a tribute to veterans’ information booth.
In addition, for the ladies, there will be Bingo, arts and crafts, a gift basket raffle, flea market and more. For the kids there’s a candy toss and kids/teen guessing contests.
And all patrons will be entertained by live bands starting with the strolling Hobo Band of Allentown Saturday afternoon. On Friday evening starting at 7 p.m., “Flirtin With the Mob” will perform with their 60s, 70s and 80s dance music. And on Saturday from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m., “Flamin Dick and the Hot Rods,” will take the stage.
As always, the Car Corral returns where showgoers can make a deal on vehicles that are for sale along with car parts, accessories, model cars, press kits and owners’ manuals for older cars, and plenty more. Of course there will be food and beverages all three days and a nearby pool for the kids to take a dip.
Raffle tickets will be sold for a small block Chevy motor donated by Miracle Auto Group; 4 Seasons Garden Center has donated a car cooler; a club member has donated a man cave coffee table made out of an engine block, and more.
But the show also has a charitable side in that over the past 20 years an average of $40,000 is given to local charities plus to the Wheels of Time scholarship program for young adults. To date, over $1,300,000 has been donated to local community organizations, awarded over 300 scholarships, and has donated hundreds of pints of blood to the on-site Miller-Keystone Blood Center. This, plus Wheels of Time volunteers give countless hours of community support with cars for parades and events, they volunteer hours at fire companies and offer support for those in need.
And for the first time in two years, the annual Friday night cruise will take place for the first 150 show cars that sign up. The cruise will leave Allen Organ lot and head south on Route 100. It will head on Buckeye Road, then onto Route 29 to Cedar Crest Boulevard and along Macungie Road to Willow Lane. Then it will take Rte. 100 back to the park. It’s an awesome sight and sound you won’t witness elsewhere.
The Jamboree opens daily at 7 a.m. and runs until sundown as far as looking at the cars in attendance before they depart for the night. Gate admission is $10 while children under 16 are free when accompanied by an adult.
For more information check www.wheelsoftime.org.
