Winter AutoFest in Zephyrhills Puts Carlisle Events on the Map in Florida

March 4, 2013 - PRLog -- Zephyrhills Winter AutoFest has taken place annually since 1974.  Over parts of four decades, a tradition unlike any other has taken place in Pasco County.  With this year’s event, the experience was enhanced and history was made as Carlisle Events presented Winter AutoFest for the first time ever.  The weekend included many familiar aspects of the 38 shows before it.  There was a swap meet, car corral and a two-day auto auction.  In addition, enthusiasts from the region over made the trek to Festival Park to take part in the four-day automotive utopia that draws tens of thousands to Pasco County annually.

Winter AutoFest 2013 opened at 7 a.m. on Thursday (2/21) to droves of enthusiasts who meandered the grounds to interact with vendors and look for great deals, both within the swap meet and car corral.  In addition, the crew from the Shell-Camino monster truck provided rides for those looking for the thrill of a lifetime.  Further, representatives from the Zephyrhills Police Department came to Festival Park to showcase their four-legged K-9 partners.  ZPD hosted a nearly hour-long demonstration which included a brief seminar on how they train their dogs to assist with aspects of crime fighting.  ZPD also returned on Saturday to offer free child finger printing kits for families at the event.  Best of all, as the day progressed, the consignment lot as part of the auction area filled with collector cars spanning eras of automotive history.  Patrons onsite made a point to pass through the lot all weekend long to get a real feel for what crossed the block during the weekend auction.

Friday (2/22) progressed at a fever pitch with unmatched numbers of enthusiasts and vendors through the gates.  Combine that with the auction starting and the excitement level of everyone at Winter AutoFest increased ten-fold.  Showgoers walked shoulder to shoulder, browsing 1,700 vending and car corral spots and day one of the auction saw a strong sell through rate too.  Though the day came to a close at 5 p.m., it simply set the stage for the remainder of a stellar weekend.  Before Friday could transition into Saturday, however, the daylong cruise-in with Q105 concluded.  Over 50 cars of varying style and era came to Winter AutoFest, before cruising off site to nearby Wesley Chapel for an evening showing of the Hollywood classic "American Graffiti."  The cruise as a whole benefited a pair of charities, the Mason Dixon Christmas Wish Fund and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Saturday saw little slowdown in relation to the days before it and through mid-morning on Sunday, Festival Park remained very active.  Following the conclusion of the auction, buyers and sellers teamed up to assure a 60% sell through rate, with over $2 million in total sales.

With the conclusion of Winter AutoFest, Carlisle Events is already looking forward to its return to the Sunshine State in November for Fall AutoFest.  The annual fall event takes place just before Thanksgiving, November 14-17.  Following a break for the holidays, Winter AutoFest 2014 returns to Pasco County, February 20-23, 2014.