Carlisle 2026 pics

[rmchrgr]

Post your Carlisle pics here! As always it was a great meet and the highlight of my summer. Yeah, rain put a damper on things on Thursday afternoon and of course it was hot and humid pretty much every day but it's central PA in mid-July - what else would you expect?

Seemed like a good turnout to me but I'm not a good judge of that. I see through a vendor's lens and I'm afraid the swap meet might be fading a bit. All the dealing seems to happen on Wednesday now and a lot of guys are packing up and leaving on Saturday afternoon. What's up with that? It used to be going off all weekend through Sunday, kind of a bummer to see it in decline. Today was the nicest day too. My sales were slow but I didn't care, it's not all about making a buck for me. I'll never get why people leave early just to go sit on their butts or say they unloaded their stuff a day early. Enjoy it while you can.

Anyway...

Here is a a link to my Google photos. It's a mix of everything. It's in chronological order from my drive down on Thursday AM to this afternoon driving home. Please excuse the non-car photos and video clips.

 

[dr dodge]

yes please!

 

[4spdragtop]

Great pics, Great wheels! Thanks

 

[MOPARMAGA]

Thanks, there's some stuff I'd sell body parts for

 

[gtgto]

Just added a few pics. Great weekend except for the humidity.

 

[dr dodge]

great pics!

 

[davescuda]

It was a great Show again! Just a little rain, most later in the day. Not as hot either. Great to see everyone.

 

[SSG_Karg]

This was pretty sweet.

 

[matthon]

Mostly original 67 383.
Confirmed, jack instructions on a fastback.

I spoke at length with owner, drove it there, drives it, car history nut, ditto.

Check that sloppy stripe tape/paint job.
Beat that over-restored cars.

 

[gunbunny]

All the dealing seems to happen on Wednesday now and a lot of guys are packing up and leaving on Saturday afternoon. What's up with that?

9 hour drive back home, and the price gouging by the hotels, is what's up with that.
I begin to pack up when the foot traffic slows down. I'm usually packed up and ready to go by 5:00 pm, and on the road by 6:00 pm.
I drive to Cumberland MD, and spend the night. I save $150 by just doing that, not to mention I have a 2 1/2 hour head start in the morning.
The hotels are the reason so many vendors are shifting the swap meet. The same room they want $275 a night for on Friday-Sat is only $80 on Tues-Thurs.
I heard people saying prices were up on parts. It costs vendors more to come, and they pass that to the folks who are buying parts.
The event sees this. It used to be the event was Fri-Sun and Thursday was set up day. You could walk in for free on Thursday. Now they charge for Thursday.
Carlisle Events needs to have a pow-wow with the chamber of commerce, and the hotel owners. I heard a lot of grumbling from people about the increase in room rates, and several people saying they were seriously considering not coming back because of it.
I don't have a problem with someone making a living, but making a killing is getting out of hand.

 

[Mopar head]

Mostly original 67 383.

I was introduced to the owner of that car last year at a car show in Virginia, it won a trophy, pretty sure it`s the same car, I was drawn right to it lol.

 

[tonysrt]

Probably the only time all those hotels and motels make any money is because of the Carlisle events. Not many reasons to go to Carlisle other than the meets. No other draw to that part of PA.. So they make their money when Carlisle has a meet.

 

[rmchrgr]

price gouging by the hotels, is what's up with that.

Everything is more expensive these days, welcome to 2026.

The woman at the front desk of my hotel said the increase had to do with the Dept. of Defense taking up large blocks of rooms on the same weekend for their annual meeting. They do whatever they do at the War College which is on the other side of Rte. 11. I'm not sure exactly how that correlates but that's the story I got.

One vendor bluntly told me he won't be back next year because the cost of the spots keeps increasing but he's selling less and less every year. I mean, the spots are not that much by themselves but if you have ten or more of them it adds up. Mancini was not there this year which I was bummed about.

Unfortunately, this is how shows and meets decline. It happened with drag racing events like the Mopar Atlantic Nats. People go on the internet and complain about this or that and the louder that gets, the less people decide to go. I'm not ready to bury Carlisle yet though.

Maybe it has to do with scale. I sell nickel and dime stuff and I don't care if I make money or not, I just love being there. I also like having a spot as a home base for the show where we can park, hang out and eat. Suppose if you count on that income to support yourself somehow I suppose it would be a different story.

Not trying to de-legitimize anyone's priorities but at the end of the day you either want to be there or you don't.

 

[ocdart]

Here is a a link to my Google photos. It's a mix of everything. It's in chronological order from my drive down on Thursday AM to this afternoon driving home. Please excuse the non-car photos and video clips.

THANK YOU!!!

 

[YellowDart69]

It was worth the nine hour drive, to get there. Thankfully it was cooler than the last two years. It looked like there were fewer people this year, but I am sure that the 100th anniversary, brought extra people last year. But I had a great time. Glad I'm not the only one complaining about the cost of hotels. It's even worse, when you are paying with Canadian dollars

 

[matthon]

I was drawn right to it lol.

Me too, first car I stopped to check out.
I showed him mine and how I 'ruined' it, he didn't care, just drive and enjoy.

We both go on road trips with our daughters.
Hopefully I'll remember to follow up before we head out to Carlisle next year with our 67.

Took the Dart this year.
Yes, it's done.

 

[gunbunny]

The woman at the front desk of my hotel said the increase had to do with the Dept. of Defense taking up large blocks of rooms on the same weekend for their annual meeting. They do whatever they do at the War College which is on the other side of Rte. 11. I'm not sure exactly how that correlates but that's the story I got.

That is BULLSHIT!
All of the attendees of the War College have housing. It damn nice housing too. General Officers don't stay in the hotels we would use. There is transient housing on post for support and short time schools. The Dept of Defense uses IHG hotels when they do book outside.
Not to mention, the rates sky rocket when the shows go down.
The IGH (Holiday Inn) on post had vacancies.
They're just straight up gouging the prices on the rooms because they can.
I get wanting to come for the vibe, but far to many people, including myself, look at this as an opportunity to make some extra money. I sell, and cut keys at Carlisle, I do pretty good too. If I didn't, there's no way I'd drive hours, one way, to come to Carlisle every year. It'd be a bi-annual trip for me.
As for the spots, the price hasn't changed much in years. They give you a 10% discount if you prepay, which I do before I leave every year. The swap space is one of the real bargains.

 

[gunbunny]

Probably the only time all those hotels and motels make any money is because of the Carlisle events. Not many reasons to go to Carlisle other than the meets. No other draw to that part of PA.. So they make their money when Carlisle has a meet.

I disagree. Gettysburg is 20 miles south of Carlisle. Plenty of other things going on around the area thru the year as well. Harrisburg is the state capital, York State Fair is at the end of July, Carlisle Trucking has their annual meetings, the Farm Show is in January, etc.

 

[tonysrt]

Then why are the rates so much more reasonable when other than Carlisle events. Harrisburg may be the state capitol but I don't think it has any drawing ability like Hershey. So July and January are busy and the 12 events that Carlisle puts on every year.

 

[85glht]

9 hour drive back home, and the price gouging by the hotels, is what's up with that.
I begin to pack up when the foot traffic slows down. I'm usually packed up and ready to go by 5:00 pm, and on the road by 6:00 pm.
I drive to Cumberland MD, and spend the night. I save $150 by just doing that, not to mention I have a 2 1/2 hour head start in the morning.
The hotels are the reason so many vendors are shifting the swap meet. The same room they want $275 a night for on Friday-Sat is only $80 on Tues-Thurs.
I heard people saying prices were up on parts. It costs vendors more to come, and they pass that to the folks who are buying parts.
The event sees this. It used to be the event was Fri-Sun and Thursday was set up day. You could walk in for free on Thursday. Now they charge for Thursday.
Carlisle Events needs to have a pow-wow with the chamber of commerce, and the hotel owners. I heard a lot of grumbling from people about the increase in room rates, and several people saying they were seriously considering not coming back because of it.
I don't have a problem with someone making a living, but making a killing is getting out of hand.

The hotel cost is one reason why we haven't attended in a few years. I could stay at some Disney World hotels for less

 

[rmchrgr]

That is BULLSHIT!

Price increases are the direct result of demand. That’s just Capitalism doing what it does. Not saying I like or agree with it but until demand declines there’s no reason for the hotels to lower prices.

I went down with some rare parts that I was hoping to cash in on. Problem is market/demand for these things is very limited. I went home with all of it due to low demand and high prices. The market adjusts accordingly.

You don’t have to stay in Carlisle or even in a hotel if you have a camper. Maybe try an Air B&B next time?

Again you either want to be there or you don’t.