Vintage vehicles! Street Rod Nationals rolls into downtown Louisville for annual parade

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- There are plenty of old cars rolling through Louisville this week with polished chrome and fancy paint jobs.

The Street Rod Nationals returns to Louisville for its 28th year at the Kentucky Exposition Center, and the festivities kicked off with the annual parade of cars through 4th Street Live! downtown Wednesday.

More than 10,000 street rods, customs, muscle cars and street machines will be on display. Car fans know that street rods are vintage vehicles made before 1949 that have been modernized with everything from air conditioning to cruise control.

"I've been to every Street Rod Nationals they've had here in Louisville," said Thomas Willis, owner of a '57 Chevy.

IMAGES | Street Rod Nationals parade rolls into downtown Louisville

Thousands of spectators will be able to stroll through the hundreds of cars parked at the Expo Center to talk to owners and see the mix of old and new cars up close.

"You have a lot of people come from out of town and other states," said Thomas Willis while standing next to his unique 1927 Ford roadster.

Despite the two previous years of a scaled back event, the National Street Rod Association and the city estimate this event to bring in $17 million of economic impact.

"When you drive around our community, you'll see the cars fill the restaurants," said David Beck, CEO of Kentucky Venues. "You go by the hotels, you see the cars fill the parking lots of our hotels. That's the economic activity that we see."

Around 30,000 people will descend on the city for the event, its organizers say.

"It's wonderful to see tourism going back to the 2019 levels," said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.

The Street Rod Nationals also includes exhibits, a builders showcase, an auto parts swap meet, seminars, an arts and crafts fair, children's activities and live entertainment.

53rd Street Rod Nationals 2022

Kentucky Exposition Center

Aug. 4-7