Rumble Car Show returns to Mars this weekend
After spending last year in Saxonburg, the Rumble Car Show is returning home to downtown Mars for its fifth installment on Saturday, July 27, from noon to 7 p.m.
The show, says organizer John Podolak, has grown “bigger and better” each year since its inception on the streets of Mars in 2019, hosting more than 1,000 vehicles on multiple occasions and practically shutting down the borough. Visitors have come to Rumble from as far away as Texas to show off their classic cars and motorcycles.
The Rumble moved to the Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company carnival grounds last year in an effort to spread out and find more space. This year organizers are bringing the event back to Mars.
“This year we’re back in town,” Podolak said. “It’s a huge thing for us to be back in town.”
In addition to being a showcase for classic cars and bikes from across the United States, the Rumble will feature food trucks, vendors, a deejay and live music from bands Dinnerbell Road, Nick G. and Altered Vision.
Most of the spectator parking is situated in the parking lot of St. John Specialty Care Center on Wittenburg Way. Those bringing their classic cars and bikes for display are free to park them virtually anywhere in downtown Mars. Parts of Pittsburgh and Railroad streets and Grand Avenue are closed for the duration of the Rumble Car Show.
During the show, “the town is closed down,” Podolak said. “So there should be no impact on traffic because [traffic is] all being rerouted outside of town.”
While classic vehicle parking is, in Podolak’s words, “first-come, first-served,” a limited number of vehicles will be allowed to park on Grand Avenue. The spaces there are reserved for cars judged as the best in the show. These cars — part of the “elite judging category” — will compete for a $300 prize.
In the event of heavy rain on Saturday, the Rumble show will be delayed until Sunday, July 28. However, the forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies on Saturday.
