Introduction
Kansas City is more than just famous BBQ, jazz, and fountains—it’s also a vibrant hub for automotive culture. Between car clubs, recurring local meets, charity car shows, and specialty events, there’s a strong and diverse community of car lovers across the KC metro area. Whether you’re into classic muscle, imports, exotics, or modern builds, KC has something to feed that passion. Local groups like the KC Auto Museum, the German car clubs, and cruising nights keep that culture alive. For example, the All German Car Show brings together numerous German marque clubs to showcase precision and performance.
Here’s a curated list of must-see car meets, shows, and driving-experiences in and around Kansas City, from large expos to smaller local meetups and seasonal specialty events.
Car Meets & Auto Shows List
Here are several events and gatherings every enthusiast in Kansas City should consider. Events are listed roughly in order, though the perfect one for you depends on your style (classics / exotics / imports etc.).
- Kansas City’s World of Wheels (Autorama)
- When: Annually (next one is Mar 20-22, 2026)
- Where: Kansas City Convention Center, 301 W. 13th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105
- What to Expect: Huge show for hot rods, customs, trucks, motorcycles. Lots of exhibits, vendor space, and competition. Great for seeing a broad range from old school to highly modified rigs.
- The Great Car Show – Kansas City Auto Museum
- When: Annually (summer-season)
- Where: National WWI Museum & Memorial, 2 Memorial Dr., Kansas City, MO 64108 (hosted by the KC Auto Museum)
- Why Go: Beautiful setting, a mix of vehicles (classics, hot rods, modern builds), vendors & food. Good for families, photography, and cruising.
- Manual Driving Academy Driving Experience(Positioned here so not first, but very relevant for enthusiasts who want to deepen their car experience.)
- What it is: Lessons in driving manual (stick shift) vehicles, led by expert instructors. Build confidence behind the wheel. It’s not just about watching cars—it’s about driving them.
- Where: Manual Driving Academy has a location in Kansas City, MO.
- Why attend / take lessons: Improves handling, gives more connection to how cars work, helps you enjoy meets or driving trips more fully. Gift certificates are available and do not expire—great for giving to fellow car lovers or as a personal goal.
- Cars & Coffee (KC-area recurring meetups)
- When:
• Every 3rd Saturday of the month – Kansas City Auto Museum (Olathe, KS) – 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
• Every 1st Saturday of the month – The Underground, 600 West 31st Street, Kansas City, MO, 8:00-10:00 AM. - Where: Locations vary; example above in Olathe and KC proper.
- What to Expect: Low-pressure, casual gatherings of car lovers. Great for chatting, checking out others’ cars, seeing new builds. Often free or inexpensive.
- When:
- All German Car Show
- When: Oct 5, 2025, 9:00 AM - noon
- Where: The Underground, 600 West 31st Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
- Focus: German engineering—Porsche, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen. If you love clean lines, performance, and European style, this one is a must.
- Turkey Creek Car and Motorcycle Show (Merriam, KS)
- When: Usually mid-September. The next date was Sept 13, 2025, 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
- Where: Downtown Merriam, Kansas at Merriam Marketplace.
- What to Expect: Over 250 classic vehicles (cars, motorcycles, trucks, hot rods etc.), with awards, food, vendors. A great community-scale event that draws from across KC metro.
- Cruise Nights & Club-Hosted Meetings
- Fuel House Cruise Nights: Hosted by the Mustang Club of Greater Kansas City at The Fuel House (Bonner Springs, KS).
- Other local meets & Facebook/Instagram groups: e.g. KC Area Car Shows & Cruise Nights, Kansas City Cars & Coffee, KC Car Meets etc. These smaller, more frequent meets are good for networking, showing off work, or learning about local builds.
Specialty & Seasonal Events
- NASCAR / Racing Events at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS, hosts major NASCAR Cup Series events (like the Hollywood Casino 400) and Truck/ARCA series. If you like speed, motorsports, and the roar of race weekend, these are essential. - Swap Meets / Vehicle-Focused Parades & Benefit Shows
Throughout the year, expect smaller benefit shows, swap meets, and specialty marque expos. Examples include local car shows benefitting charities, or themed meets like “Imports vs Domestics,” etc. (You can watch the ACCKC event finder to find these)
Why These Matter & Practical Tips
- Proximity: Most of these are inside the greater KC metro (Missouri and Kansas sides), often within 30-45 minutes depending on where you’re coming from. For example, Olathe, KS (Cars & Coffee) is about 20-30 mins from downtown KC, Bonner Springs about the same.
- Be prepared: Even for casual meets, bring your car clean, know local parking rules, maybe bring chairs or canopy for comfort, and expect interaction—people love sharing their modifications, stories, and questions.
- Weather & timing: Many events are seasonal (spring through fall), and some are weather-dependent. Arriving early helps (both to get good spots and avoid crowding).
Conclusion
If you love cars—whether classic muscle, sleek exotics, detailed imports, or wild customs—Kansas City offers an impressive array of car meets and auto shows. These aren’t just events, they are chances to connect: meet fellow enthusiasts, share stories, see builds up close, and get inspired. And if you want to enjoy all of that more fully—say, cruising into a meet with confidence, or pushing your own build on open roads—then booking a lesson with Manual Driving Academy may be exactly what you need. You’ll learn stick shift driving, gain experience, and unlock a deeper layer of car culture.
Want to take the next step? Check out Manual Driving Academy here: Manual Driving Academy – Kansas City, MO.
