Stan Hywet Car Show 2025: Why It Was the End of an Era

Stan Hywet Car Show 2025: Why It Was the End of an Era

If you were standing on the Great Meadow this past June, you felt it. That specific mix of high-octane nostalgia and the sweet, heavy scent of mid-June peonies. The stan hywet car show 2025 wasn’t just another Sunday in Akron. It was a goodbye.

After 68 years of parking pristine chrome on the former estate of F.A. Seiberling, the Ohio Region Classic Car Club of America (ORCCCA) basically dropped a bombshell. They're moving. Starting in 2026, this legendary Father's Day tradition is packing its bags for Hale Farm & Village.

So, the 2025 show? It was the final curtain call for the "Classic, Antique & Collector Car Show" at the Manor House. If you missed it, you missed a piece of Ohio history that won't ever look quite the same again.

The 67th Annual Farewell

Honestly, the weather couldn't have been better. We’re talking clear skies and enough of a breeze to keep the 400-plus cars from overheating while they idled into their spots. This wasn't just a "car show." It’s been a staple since 1957.

Most people don't realize that Stan Hywet is actually the sixth-largest historic home in the U.S. Seeing a 1930s Duesenberg parked in front of a 65,000-square-foot Tudor Revival mansion feels right. It feels authentic.

The stan hywet car show 2025 leaned heavily into that "industrial age" vibe. Since F.A. Seiberling co-founded Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., there’s always been this spiritual connection between the grounds and the rubber that hits the road.

What Stole the Show?

This year, the spotlight was firmly on the Ford Thunderbird. It was the 70th anniversary of the T-Bird, and the turnout was massive.

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  • The 1955 Originals: The first-gen two-seaters were everywhere. You could spot the 292 cubic inch Y-block V8s from a mile away.
  • The 1956 "Continental Kits": Those exterior-mounted spare tires always draw a crowd.
  • The 1957 Fins: The jet-thruster taillights marked the end of the first generation, and they looked incredible glinting in the Akron sun.

There were about 30 Thunderbirds in the Seiberling Circle alone. It was a rainbow of plumages, from classic Torch Red to that specific 2005 Cashmere Tri-Coat Metallic on the 50th Anniversary models.

Why the Great Meadow Matters

The Great Meadow is basically a giant, lush carpet. Walking through it during the stan hywet car show 2025 felt like a trek through a living museum.

You had cars from 1915 all the way up to "future classics" from 2000. It's rare to see a 1915 Model T within spitting distance of a sleek 90s era sports car, but that’s the charm here.

The Inner Circle of Full Classics featured some heavy hitters. We're talking high-end engineering from the era when cars were built by hand and meant to last several lifetimes.

The Food and The Vibe

You can’t have a Father's Day show without food. The Winking Lizard and Gio’s Pizza Lab were doing heavy lifting this year.

Most families have a routine. You look at the cars, you grab a pizza, and then you wander into the Corbin Conservatory to look at the plants Dad probably doesn't care about but Mom loves.

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It’s a family festival, sorta. But for the "gearheads," it’s a serious competition. The judging is tight. The cars have to be stock, well-maintained, and at least 25 years old. No "Fast and Furious" mods here.

The Logistics of the Last Stand

Getting into the stan hywet car show 2025 was, as always, a bit of a mission. If you didn't have a pre-purchased ticket, you were basically out of luck. They sell out. Every. Single. Year.

Parking at the estate is tight, so the shuttles from Firestone CLC and Case CLC were packed. It’s a bit of a headache, but once you’re on those grounds, the 714 North Portage Path address feels like a different world.

The manor house stayed open for self-guided tours, which is a nice break from the heat. Pro tip for the future: the house isn't air-conditioned in the way modern buildings are, so those thick stone walls are your best friend on a 90-degree June day.

Why are they moving to Hale Farm?

It’s the question everyone was whispering over their Kona-Ice.

The ORCCCA has been doing this at Stan Hywet for 68 years. That’s a long time. But the show has grown. With 6,000 spectators and 400 cars, they’re literally bursting at the seams.

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Hale Farm & Village offers more space. They want to turn this into a "full-scale family festival." More activities, more food, more room to breathe.

While the stan hywet car show 2025 was the end of the line for the estate, the tradition itself isn't dying. It’s just evolving. It’s moving from a manor house garden party to a sprawling farm festival.

The Legacy of the 2025 Event

Looking back, the 2025 show felt like a tribute to the Seiberling legacy. F.A. and Gertrude Seiberling built that place to be a community hub.

When you see a kid sitting on his dad's shoulders, pointing at a shiny red Thunderbird, you realize the cars are just the excuse. The real point is the tradition.

What You Need to Know for 2026 and Beyond

If you’re planning your Father's Day for next year, don't show up at Stan Hywet. You'll be alone in the gardens.

  1. New Location: Hale Farm & Village in Bath, Ohio.
  2. The Date: Sunday, June 21, 2026.
  3. Registration: It usually closes by June 1st. If you want your car on the grass, you have to be fast.
  4. Special Feature: 2026 is going to be "A Century of Mopar." Expect a lot of Dodges, Chryslers, and Plymouths.

The stan hywet car show 2025 was a spectacular goodbye to a historic venue. It was the last time those specific cars will grace that specific meadow in that specific way.

If you want to keep the spirit alive, start looking at Hale Farm. It’s only about 20 minutes away from Summit Racing Equipment headquarters, so the car culture in this area isn't going anywhere.

Check the official ORCCCA website or the Stan Hywet calendar for any lingering 2025 photos or 2026 registration links. The move is a big deal for the Akron community, and staying updated is the only way to make sure you don't miss the first year of the new era.