Last time, there were freezing temperatures and even snow flurries greeting attendees at Lay'd Out at the Park. The crew took a year off and then set a new date to party in Morristown, Tennessee. It had to be warmer in April, right? It was warm enough for bikinis!inline_mediumwraptextright30932766/eventcoverage/0912st_2009_layd_out_in_the_park0912st_02_+2009_layd_out_in_the_park+relaxed_atmosphere_sticker.jpgTrue

THE SHOWS

THE SHOWS

The Shows
1. October 2-4
18th Annual Slamfest
Location: Florida State Fairgrounds, Tampa, FL
411: www.minimadness.cominline_mediumwraptextrightUnited States29258349/eventcoverage/0910st_calendar_of_events_october_20090910st_01_+calendar_of_events_october_2009+united_states.jpgTrue

Hardcore Minis, established more than 20 years ago, is one of the oldest clubs in Florida and is known for the high level of enthusiasm it brings to the sport. Whenever the group arrives at an event, everyone looks to see the latest outrageous comment displayed on the club's T-shirts. Our favorite: "Hardcore, Keeping Cops Employed Since 1989!" More family than club, this close-knit group maintains its annual tradition of remembering a fallen friend, Larry Neal Oliver Jr. The 13th Annual LNO Memorial Show helps keep his memory alive and reinforces the close ties that the club has with its members as well as the Oliver family. Proceeds from the event are used to help local charities. Although the origin of the event is serious, it's also a celebration of life with plenty of fun on the menu. In addition to the great collection of vehicles, everyone enjoyed the wacky club games, lots of giveaways, and the spectator favorite: the wet T-shirt contest. Besides T-shirts and hats, some of the gifts flying off the stage into the crowd were OBX intakes, gauges, Meguiar's Car Care products, and more. The cool collection of 101 trophies added to the fun and now have become treasured mementoes on mantlepieces around the Sunshine State.inline_mediumwraptextrightStephen Jordan from G-Unit displayed his ultra clean '92 Chevy. He also wants you to know that 'You are not gangster!'1992 Chevy24746555/eventcoverage/0910st_13th_annual_2008_hardcore_lno_memorial_show0910st_12_z+2008_hardcore_lno_memorial_show+custom_truck.jpgTrue

The Shows
1. August 1
Streamline Car Show
Location: Streamline Hot Rods & Auto Repair, Salem, OR
411: show@streamlineautorepair.com

For the last twelve years, the members of Low Rollers truck club have been throwing one last blowout before the Northeast freezes over. Before the cold weather forces everyone into their garage, the Delaware-based club invites hundreds of vehicles and spectators to the Salem County Fairgrounds in Woodstown, New Jersey, for its annual End of Summer Bash.

Kinston, North Carolina Despite the high cost of fuel and a sluggish economy, it's obvious that drivers are prioritizing their resources, spending less on things that don't matter, and saving for things that do. Carolina fans of Freak Show share those instincts, actively supporting this adult-rated, no-holds-barred, wild weekend show. The event hosts a great collection of vehicles and offers overnight camping inside the fairgrounds, one-of-a-kind late-night entertainment, and runnin'-in-the-mud daytime fun at the Lenoir County Fairgrounds in Kinston, North Carolina. Tons of trophies, lots of special awards, dozens of vendors, and the chance to reconnect with old friends at a great weekend get-together keeps Freak Show on everyone's mandatory list.inline_mediumwraptextrightGirls Halloween Costumes23725256/eventcoverage/0909st_8th_annual_freak_show_20080909st_01_z+2008_freak_show_8th_annual_custom_truck_show+hot_girls.jpgTrue

The Shows
1. September 4-6
Good Guys 8th Mid-Western Nationals
Location: Kansas Speedway,Kansas City, KS
411: www.good-guys.cominline_mediumwraptextright26641947/eventcoverage/0909st_calendar_of_events_september_20090909st_01_z+calendar_of_events_september_2009+united_states.jpgTrue

The Shows

1. July 3-5
Goodguys Heartland Nationals
Location: Iowa State Fairgrounds, Des Moines, IA
411: www.good-guys.com

Nothing gives show promoters more headaches than bad weather. You can do everything right, publicize the event in a dozen different ways, select the perfect location, and, a day before the show, the weatherman can ruin everything. The February Blood Drag event in Perry, Georgia, ran into that exact situation, with a bleak forecast for the weekend. Luckily, the huge indoor facilities had plenty of room for spectators, especially when the sirens went off indicating a tornado! The funnel cloud was visible from the front gate, causing show organizer Jon Fulmer to break the 4-minute mile record while running to safety. Within an hour, the sun came out, the crowds ventured into the outdoor display spaces, and the magazine photographers began shooting features.

The Shows
1. June 5-7
Colorado Nationals
Location: The Ranch, Larimer County Fairgrounds, Loveland, CO
411: www.good-guys.com

Since the initial Grand National Roadster Show in 1950, the event has received the respect and participation from the world's leading auto customizers. The show is best known for crowning the America's Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) award, and year-after-year builders bring their best customs out to compete for a shot at getting their name engraved on the historic AMBR trophy. Though it started out as an event for hot rods, many great custom trucks have been displayed there throughout the years. This year was no different, bringing some of the highest quality rides.

1. May 1-3
Gator Drag
Location: Montgomery County Fairgrounds, Conroe, TX
411: www.gatordrag.com

Lots of folks are feeling the effect of today's economy and cutting back on nonessentials. High gas prices keep travel to a minimum, but if the event is important enough, you'll find a way to go. And that was the attitude at this year's Slamfest in Tampa, Florida. A fall favorite for the last dozen years, Slamfest showed that even in tight economic times, some events are just too much fun to miss. Warm weather in the low eighties, the great Florida State Fairgrounds location with its indoor and outdoor display spaces, and lots of fun packed into the weekend's itinerary keep drivers coming back, year after year. More than 900 vehicles to ogle and big cash prizes to win just sweetened the deal. As it has for the last decade, the club Mini Madness, used a portion of the profits from Slamfest to assist Tampa area charities.

The Shows
1. April 3-5
Southwest Street Rod Nationals
Location: State Fair Park, Oklahoma City, OK
411: www.nsra.com

Though Blood Drag started in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a benefit show, it's turned into a popular event that continues to grow annually. Since February '99, the show has become an East Coast phenomenon that has been known to draw huge crowds of vehicles and spectators. Because of Blood Drag's huge success, word about it spread throughout the rest of the country. During the time that this event had become a premier show, the scene on the West Coast dwindled with shows being cancelled left and right. In this time of despair, club No Regrets wanted to change things with a new event. So, with the help of the original Blood Drag crew, the club got going with plans for a West Coast Blood Drag.

The Shows
1. March 6
Hot Tahoe Cruisin' Car & Truck Show
Location: Crystal Bay at North Lake Tahoe, NV
411: www.goodsamsaferide.com

Killer trucks, big stars, awesome cars, trick parts, and beautiful women-this is what the SEMA Show is all about. This is where the best and brightest fabricators and builders debut trucks that they've spent as little as a week crafting for major industry players and aftermarket parts companies. This is where the entire automotive aftermarket and media industry comes together to do business and at the same time, party its collective ass off. The average gearhead can't get into the show unless they are crafty enough to jive their way into scoring a coveted badge with a fake name on it like Zip Tie. This is the one event we wait all year long to attend just so we can come back with photos of the baddest iron on earth.

Lake Charles, Louisiana
No matter how much planning is involved in a show, it can all go down the drain if the weather is unbearable. If the forecast calls for rain, generally most people will not want to attend or bring their valuable vehicles so that they can get muddied in the wet weather. It is one thing to deal with rain, but it is another when you have it combined with the strong winds of a hurricane. That is exactly what was in store for the Lake Front Tour show in '08. Hurricane Gustav was supposed to hit Louisiana during the very dates of the event, with Hurricane Ike forming closely behind it. Fortunately, the first storm came early and the weather was clear by time the show came around.

Having a cool location is just one thing that sets some shows apart from others. It just so happens that the guys from Made 2 Envy have enough support from their hometown of Kingston, New York, to shut down an entire stretch of the main strip. Taking in the view of the Rondout Waterfront along the Hudson River, it's easy to see why so many people look forward to this midsummer show. With plenty to see and do, it's even clearer why the show keeps growing. Despite a little bit of rain on Saturday, club games, competitions, and a car-crush kept everyone busy during the day. At night, a legal drag session and drive-in movie brought everyone back to the waterfront.

The Shows
1. January 31- February 8
Philadelphia INT'L Auto Show
Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA
411: www.phillyautoshow.com

Unless you live under a rock in the Midwest, you've been to Indy Truck Bash. If you haven't, what are you waiting for? For the past 16 years, Indy Truck Bash, returning once again to the O'Reilly Raceway Park just outside of Indianapolis, Indiana, has been a celebration of all things custom. You couldn't ask for better conditions for a truck show than blue skies and temperatures in the low 80s-a welcome break from the annual blistering heat of mid August. Despite the struggling economy and ridiculous gas prices, thousands of spectators and participants continued to roll in throughout the weekend. With MC Kidd Kutt providing background music, spectators and participants roamed the grounds checking out all of the latest customs and innovations from the various vendors and participants. If all of the custom trucks and cars was just too much too handle, you could always watch the club olympics, hydraulic competition, high/low contest, or the Miss ITB contest. Congratulations go out to Sean Berkey for taking home the Best Fullsize award with his beautiful '66 Chevy Pickup, and Rob Hohlt for taking Best Mini with his '02 Chevy Blazer. Thousands of customs, thousands of people, a killer nightlife, and just an overall great weekend-how could you not be there?

1. January 8-11
Silicon Valley INT'L Auto Show
Location: San Jose McEnery Convention Center, San Jose, CA
411: www.motortrendautoshows.com