09/04/2026
Kinsmen Club preparing for 51st annual car show
By Kimberly de Jong
September 3, 2026
Kinsmen Club of Brantford is revving up for its 51st annual Car Show and Swap Meet on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
Taking place at the Paris Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the longstanding event is expected to draw between 300 to 500 vintage, antique, classic and newer model cars, giving visitors the chance to stroll down memory lane while admiring the different the makes, paint jobs and special upholstery work.
In previous years, visitors have seen everything from a 1915 Ford Model T to a 1951 MG TD, 1954 Chevrolet Belair, 1969 Chevrolet Corvair, 1955 Ford Panel Truck, a modified 1931 Ford Model A Roadster, a 1966 Shelby Cobra, and a 2022 Corvette C8.
“There’s usually hundreds of vehicles of various ages, from the early 1900s up to current day,” said Norm Philpott, Chair of the Brantford Kinsmen Car show. “We also have a swap meet area where vendors have old car parts and all sorts of collectible items available for sale too.”
Towards the end of the show, the Kinsmen Club will be giving out 21 awards in different categories for makes such as Chevrolet, Ford, Plymouth, Dodge, Studebaker, and Imports, as well hot rods, paint and upholstery.
When asked what draws so many people to car shows, Philpott said while much of it has to do with reminiscing about their youth, others like to just admire the look of the vehicles.
“I think everyone just likes seeing what everyone has done with their vehicles, how shiny they are and seeing the brains of them all,” he said. “It’s really amazing what some of these people have done and how they keep their engine so clean.”
The annual car show and swap meet has been running since the early 1970s after Brian Heap, a member of both the Brantford Piston Pushers and Brant Street Rods brought the show to the Kinsmen Club.
While the show started off as a three-day event held at Ontario Park on Highway 24, it eventually moved over to the Paris Fairgrounds around 1981 as a one-day event, and has been there ever since.
The show is one of the Kinsmen’s largest fundraisers of the year, alongside the group’s annual Ribfest in August.
“We of course give back for cystic fibrosis, but a lot of our fundraising also goes back to the Bellview Community Hall for groups to use for children’s camps and the Bellview Seniors, as well as other community projects.”
Those looking to show their car can do so by registering for $10 on the day of. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and ends at noon.
“When they come to the gate, Brian will grab their money and give them a form to fill out so they can take it to the registration desk and find a spot to park,” said Philpott.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at [email protected].
Jorge Machado shows off his 1956 Chevrolet 1300 pickup truck during the Kinsmen Club of Brantford’s 50th annual Car Show and Swap Meet on Sunday, September 14, 2025.
