Fremont Area Car Club Show and Shine

Car shows can feel like closed circles. Perfect paint. Perfect chrome. People who seem to know every factory code by heart. But the Fremont Area Car Club is trying to make its annual Show ’N Shine feel like the opposite of that — a local, low-pressure event where a half-finished project or a daily driver can belong next to a classic. That’s the real angle here. The club’s third annual Show ’N Shine is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fremont. It is open to cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors of any age or condition, with a $10 registration fee and free admission for spectators. ### What is this event, exactly? Basically, it’s a community car show with a broader definition of “show car” than most people expect. The Fremont Area Car Club is inviting almost anything with wheels and a story — not just polished restorations, but customs, works in progress, and unusual vehicles too. That makes the event feel more like a neighborhood gathering than a strict judged competition. ### When and where is it happening? (thebestmix1055.com) The show is set for Saturday, May 9, in the parking lot at Trinity Lutheran Church, at 16th and Luther Road in Fremont. Registration runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. The show itself goes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and trophy presentations start at 1 p.m. Trinity’s event page lists the same basic schedule and notes that spectators can attend for free. ### Who can bring a vehicle? (thebestmix1055.com) Pretty much anyone. The club says the show is open to all cars, trucks, motorcycles, and tractors, regardless of make, year, or condition. That matters because it lowers the intimidation factor — you do not need a museum-grade restoration to show up. A vehicle that is still being built is still welcome. ### Why are the trophies the big hook? Because they’re not generic plaques. (thebestmix1055.com) The trophies are handmade by club members from old automotive, bicycle, and tractor parts, and the whole event leans into that one-of-a-kind feel. There will be 12 trophies in total, and this year adds two categories that tell you a lot about the club’s mindset: Long-Distance Award and Work in Progress Award. In other words, effort and personality count here, not just perfection. ### Is this a judged competition? Not in the usual sense. There is no formal judging structure like you’d expect at a larger concours-style event, but trophies will still be handed out across different categories. Turns out that’s a useful middle ground — people still get recognition, but the day does not revolve around clipboards and rulebooks. ### What else will be there? More than parked vehicles. The event is also set to include raffles, door prizes, and four food vendors: Salt & Pepper Barbecue, Heladeria Reinita Ice Cream, Heladeria Taqueria Mexican Food, and Nebraska’s Best Kettle Corn. (thebestmix1055.com) That makes it easier to treat the show as a Saturday outing even if you are not entering anything. ### Why does this matter locally? Small-town car culture usually survives on repeat participation — the same builders, the same clubs, the same summer calendar. (thebestmix1055.com) Events like this help widen the circle. By making room for unfinished projects and first-time entrants, the Fremont Area Car Club is basically betting that more people will show up if the barrier to entry stays low. ### Bottom line? This is less about crowning the single best vehicle and more about getting people to bring out whatever they love. (thebestmix1055.com) That’s why the handmade trophies matter, and that’s why the open-entry format matters too. For Fremont, the pitch is simple — come with a showpiece, come with a project, or just come look.