What Carlisle Events does

Carlisle Events is a privately held automotive events company founded in 1974 and headquartered in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The company operates the 82-acre Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (1000 Bryn Mawr Road) and the adjacent Carlisle Expo Center (100 K St), and runs a calendar of annual marque-specific car shows and collector-car marketplaces targeting enthusiast and collector audiences in the Northeast United States. The event portfolio includes Ford Nationals, GM Nationals, Chrysler Nationals, Truck Nationals, Corvettes at Carlisle, Import & Performance Nationals, and the flagship Fall Carlisle automotive flea market, which features 8,100 vending spaces and a two-day Carlisle Auctions collector-car auction with 400+ consignments.

The company's technology stack consists of an e-commerce registration and ticketing platform at store.carlisleevents.com, a dedicated carlisletickets.com ticketing site, a mobile application on iOS and Android providing event schedules, vendor search, interactive guides, and digital ticketing, and an on-grounds navigation system. Operations are supported by a wholly-owned subsidiary structure that includes Carlisle Auctions, Carlisle Fairgrounds, and Carlisle Expo Center.

Carlisle Events generates revenue through a diversified event-driven model: spectator ticket and event-pass sales (daily admission $7–$15, multi-day event passes $20–$38, season passes), showfield vehicle registrations ($45–$85 with Gate-N-Go early-bird discounts), vendor and car corral space rentals, corporate sponsorship packages (presenting, official, and associate tiers), merchandise sales (event t-shirts $28–$29, diecast collectibles), auction commissions through Carlisle Auctions, and ancillary services such as $20-per-award shipping and $100-per-person CMAF benefit dinners. Customer segments include individual automotive hobbyists (primary), automotive parts vendors and SMB sellers (primary), automotive clubs, brand sponsors, and vehicle buyers/sellers in the Car Corral.

Name

Carlisle Events

Legal name

Carlisle Events

Website

https://carlisleevents.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Carlisle Events is a private automotive events company operating six annual marque-specific car shows and the Fall Carlisle flea market at the 82-acre Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, serving automotive enthusiasts, parts vendors, brand sponsors, and collector-car buyers across the Northeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Events Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399)

akta.pro primary industry

Auto, Boat & RV Shows (MPAGAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Transportation, Logistics & Mobility Shows Organizers (THAHABAL)

Keywords

• Automotive car shows
• Collector car events
• Automotive flea markets
• Vehicle swap meets
• Car show vendor events

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlisle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Spectator Tickets and Event Passes: Direct sales of daily admission tickets, multi-day event passes, and season passes for all Carlisle Events hosted at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and Allentown Agri-Plex.
2. Showfield Vehicle Registration: Fees charged to vehicle owners for showfield participation, judged or non-judged classes, with early-bird discounts available before Gate-N-Go deadlines.
3. Vending and Car Corral Spaces: Rental of outdoor vendor spaces (approximately 10'x20' per outside space), indoor building spaces, and car corral spaces for the automotive flea market and swap meet events.
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Official sponsor packages including Manufacturers Midway placement, official sponsor designations, associate sponsor listings, and brand exposure across event materials.
5. Merchandise Sales: Event-specific merchandise including t-shirts (pre-order and on-site), diecast collectibles, and event memorabilia through the Carlisle Store in Building T and CarShowGear.com.
6. Award Shipping: Shipping and handling service for event award winners to receive their awards by mail, priced at $20 per award.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Carlisle Events organizes and hosts multi-day automotive car shows, collector car flea markets, and auctions at the 82-acre Carlisle PA Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. The company produces six annual brand-specific national event series (Ford, GM, Chrysler, Truck, Corvettes at Carlisle, Import & Performance) plus the Fall Carlisle automotive flea market with 8,100 vending spaces. Core operations include event registration, spectator admissions, showfield vehicle participation, vendor and car corral space rentals, corporate sponsorship sales, and event merchandise.

Product overview

Carlisle Events operates a unified automotive event management platform hosting major car shows and collector vehicle flea markets at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds. The platform consists of six annual event series (Import & Performance Nationals, Ford Nationals, GM Nationals, Chrysler Nationals, Truck Nationals, and Corvettes at Carlisle), plus the Fall Carlisle flea market event. Supporting the events are a mobile app for attendee navigation, an online registration store for tickets and vendor spaces, an automotive flea market and car corral marketplace, a Manufacturers Midway for aftermarket vendors, award shipping services, and partnership with Carlisle Auctions for vehicle sales. The company also supports the Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation through charity events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ford Nationals: The largest all-Ford car show in the world featuring Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Euro Fords on the NPD Showfield
• GM Nationals
• Chrysler Nationals
• Truck Nationals
• Corvettes at Carlisle
• Import & Performance Nationals
• Fall Carlisle

Products and services

• Ford Nationals Annual all-Ford car show featuring Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Euro Ford vehicles on the National Parts Depot Showfield with over 3,400 spaces, including automotive flea market, car corral, and Manufacturers Midway. Aimed at Ford enthusiasts and collectors.
• GM Nationals Annual car show event for all General Motors brands (Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, Buick) featuring vehicles on the NPD Showfield with approximately 1,000 participants, judged and non-judged classes. Aimed at GM brand enthusiasts.
• Chrysler Nationals Largest Mopar event in the world featuring nearly 3,000 vehicles from all eras of the Chrysler brand, including classic muscle cars and high-performance new models. Aimed at Chrysler/Mopar enthusiasts.
• Truck Nationals Annual truck and SUV event featuring lifted, lowered, classic, antique, modern trucks, two- or four-wheel-drive vehicles, jeeps, big rigs, and mini trucks. Aimed at truck and SUV enthusiasts.
• Corvettes at Carlisle Largest Corvette event in the world featuring approximately 4,000 Corvettes representing all generations of America's classic sports car, with Fun Field, judged NCCC show, and special displays. Aimed at Corvette collectors and enthusiasts.
• Import & Performance Nationals Annual event featuring imported vehicles (Saab, Volvo, BMW, Honda, Subaru, Porsche, Acura, Lexus, Mercedes, Opel), domestics, kit cars, motorcycles, and high-performance vehicles, typically held in May with over 2,000 unique vehicles. Aimed at import and performance car enthusiasts.
• Fall Carlisle Annual collector car flea market, car corral, and auction event with 8,100 vending spaces, held in September-October, featuring automotive parts, accessories, collectibles, memorabilia, and a Carlisle Auctions collector car auction. The final event of the Carlisle calendar year.
• Automotive Flea Market and Car Corral Marketplace services at Carlisle events where vendors rent vending spaces to sell automotive parts, accessories, memorabilia, and literature, and individuals offer vehicles for sale in designated car corral areas with notary service available. Aimed at vendors and vehicle buyers/sellers.
• Manufacturers Midway Central on-grounds area at Carlisle Fairgrounds housing sponsors, major partners, OEMs, and larger aftermarket companies that showcase new products and automotive services to enthusiast attendees. Aimed at automotive manufacturers and aftermarket brands seeking direct enthusiast engagement.
• Carlisle Events Mobile App Free mobile application available on iOS App Store and Google Play providing event schedules, vendor search, interactive event guides, ticket purchasing, directions, on-grounds navigation, and social media connectivity for Carlisle car shows. Aimed at event attendees and participants.
• Carlisle Auctions Collector car auction service operating during Fall Carlisle and other events at the Carlisle Expo Center, featuring 400+ consignments and offering a 'Free Unless Sold' guarantee for qualifying vehicles. Aimed at collector vehicle buyers and sellers.
• Award Shipping Service Shipping and handling service for event award winners who cannot pick up their awards during the event, priced at a flat fee of $20 per award for US shipping, with additional fees for multiple awards and Canadian shipping requiring a phone quote.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• National Parts Depot (NPD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Parts Depot (NPD) is the presenting sponsor for Ford Nationals and GM Nationals, with the NPD Showfield named after the company. NPD is a major aftermarket parts distributor that provides support for these flagship brand-specific events.
• HemmingsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHemmings is the presenting sponsor for Fall Carlisle and a season sponsor, providing advertising and marketing support for the automotive flea market event.
• American Collectors InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of Carlisle Events providing collector vehicle insurance products to the automotive enthusiast community attending Carlisle events.
• Carlisle AuctionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarlisle Auctions is the official auction partner conducting two-day collector car auctions at the Carlisle Expo Center during Fall Carlisle. The auction features 400+ consignments and offers a 'Free Unless Sold' guarantee.
• Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation (CMAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation hosts the annual Chip Miller Memorial Scholarship program awarding $1,000 scholarships to automotive students. CMAF Benefit Dinner Package ($100) is offered at Corvettes at Carlisle event.
• eJudgedcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party judging platform for drive-thru judging at Carlisle events. Provides real-time result calculations and has been used for Carlisle Events Car Shows, Mothers Shine Award at SEMA, Bimmerfest, and other national automotive events.
• ScootaroundminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive scooter and wheelchair rental service for Carlisle Events, allowing attendees to reserve mobility equipment online or by phone prior to events.
• NICOClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest online resource for Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun enthusiasts presenting NICOfest at Import & Performance Nationals, including autocross racing and drifting exhibitions.
• Green Mountain MonogramminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive merchandise partner operating CarShowGear.com for year-round Carlisle Events merchandise sales and managing the Carlisle Store at Building T during events.
• Carlisle Expo CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent venue to the Carlisle Fairgrounds (located at 100 K St) used for Carlisle Auctions events and the CMAF Benefit Dinner during Corvettes at Carlisle.
• Carlisle FairgroundsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 82-acre venue operated by Carlisle Fairgrounds serves as the primary location for all Carlisle Events car shows, flea markets, and automotive exhibitions.
• Morton BuildingscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSeason sponsor with building/structure presence at Carlisle Events, providing brand visibility to automotive enthusiast audience.
• PA National GuardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociate sponsor offering education and recruitment information at Carlisle Events, with emphasis on Pennsylvania state universities education assistance programs.
• Coker TireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociate sponsor known worldwide for manufacturing wide whitewall tires for classic cars, serving the collector vehicle community at Carlisle events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auctions: The largest collector-car auction company in the US, running multi-city events (Scottsdale, Palm Beach, Las Vegas, Houston). Comparable to Carlisle Auctions as a competitor in the collector-vehicle auction space and to Carlisle Events as a broader automotive-event operator with national reach.
• Mecum Auctions: Major US collector-car auction company running 30+ events annually across multiple states. Directly comparable to Carlisle Auctions as an auction peer and to Carlisle Events in running large-scale automotive enthusiast gatherings with vendor and sponsorship revenue.
• RM Sotheby's: Global collector-car auction house operating high-end auction events. Comparable to Carlisle Auctions as an auction competitor, particularly for premium consignments that overlap with Carlisle's collector-car enthusiast base.
• SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association): The largest automotive-aftermarket trade association, running the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas with manufacturers, exhibitors and media. Comparable to Carlisle Events as a major automotive enthusiast/industry event organizer, though at a larger trade-show scale.

Direct peers

• Goodguys Rod & Custom Association: One of the largest hot-rod and custom car show organizers in the US, running multi-city events with showfield registration, vendor spaces and manufacturer midways. Closely comparable to Carlisle Events in business model, customer base and revenue mix.
• National Street Rod Association (NSRA): Long-standing US street-rod enthusiast organization running regional and national car show events with member registration, vendor participation and sponsorship revenue. Directly comparable to Carlisle Events as a classic/collector car show operator with a similar enthusiast community.
• Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA): National collector-car club running antique car shows, tours and meets across the US. Comparable to Carlisle Events in serving the classic/antique car community through judged showfields, regional meets and member-based event attendance.
• Hot August Nights: Major annual classic-car event held in Reno/Sparks, Nevada drawing tens of thousands of enthusiasts with showfield entries, vendor village and cruises. Directly comparable to Carlisle's marquee events (Fall Carlisle, Corvettes at Carlisle) in scale and enthusiast experience.

Emerging players

• Worldwide Auctioneers: Mid-scale collector-car auction house running select high-end auctions in Auburn and other venues. Comparable to Carlisle Auctions as an auction peer with similar consignor base, though with smaller volume than Carlisle's 400+ lot Fall Carlisle auction.

Regional players

• Monterey Car Week / Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance: Annual high-end collector-car event cluster in Monterey, California including auctions, tours and the Pebble Beach Concours. Comparable to Carlisle Events in hosting marquee automotive enthusiast gatherings with vendor and sponsorship revenue, though at a higher price point and different West Coast geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carlisleevents
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CarProDotCom/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarlisleEvents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carlisle-events
• Instagraminstagram.com/carlisleevents

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carlisle Events