Betty White was a national treasure to many.  Her iconic career spanned decades and her passion for animals was as well known as her role on Golden Girls.  In fact, for a career that started in 1939 (35 years before Carlisle Events), her fame and pop-culture status surged in the late 2000s and remained at a fever pitch until her passing in 2021 at age 99.  Her legacy lives on and at the 2024 Carlisle GM Nationals (June 21-22), will be on display by way of a car she once owned; a 1977 Cadillac nicknamed the Parakeet. 

White’s Cadillac will be part of a Cadillac-focused display in Building Y, honoring Cadillac’s luxury, style, and performance.  These qualities helped make Cadillac America’s premier luxury brand and that elegance will be highlighted by way of “trip through time,” which amplifies the standard of the world that the brand has become.

The story of the Parakeet is a love story, both for the car and the man who gave it to her.  White’s third husband, Allen Ludden, also regarded as the love of her life, gifted it to her as it was as elegant as he regarded her to be.  The car earned its nickname due to its Sea-Mist Green paint scheme and White’s love for birds.  All her vehicles were named after birds.  The light green exterior is complimented by dark green striping and a cream/white interior.  There’s a touch of Betty in it too, as she had an AT&T car phone installed and there’s also a nameplate on the console that reads “Betty,” complete with the Cadillac logo.

Parakeet comes to Carlisle by way of the AACA Museum, Inc. in nearby Hershey, Pennsylvania.  The car has been with the museum since 2012, but before that, was personally donated by White in 2002 to raise money for the Los Angeles Humane Society.   

“The 1977 Cadillac Seville once owned by Betty White always draws attention wherever it goes,” said Stan Sipko, Curator of the AACA Museum, Inc.  “Betty was a pioneer of early television with a career spanning almost seven decades, she was known for her many television appearances acting in sitcoms, sketch comedy, and game shows. That is why her car draws so much attention because everyone relates to her shows that they have watched over the years,” continued Sipko.  “The museum family is proud to help Carlisle Events celebrate its 50^th Anniversary in 2024.  Over the years we have done a lot together and look forward to being involved with the great people at Carlisle Events for many more years.”

The prominence of this car blends perfectly with other planned display themes, plus the nearly 1,000 show cars on the National Parts Depot Showfield.  Celebration themes include the Solid Lifter Showroom, Corvettes for Chip, the 3^rd Gen Nationals, Nova’s at Carlisle, and more.  Gates open at 7 AM daily for the Carlisle GM Nationals and attending a car show at Carlisle has never been easier!  Affordable family fun is readily available, with Kids 12 and under admitted free.  For details on vendor or Showfield registration, event specifics, or to purchase discounted spectator admission tickets, call 717-243-7855 or visit CarlisleEvents.com.

Carlisle Events is iconic in that the company brand has been part of automotive circles since 1974.  While that may be the case for the Miller families and their company, something more iconic is the Ford brand, which has a history dating to 1903 with Henry Ford.  Fast forward to 2024 and each brand showcases significant milestones.  At this year’s Carlisle Ford Nationals (May 31-June 2), not only is it about 50 years of Carlisle Events, but it’ll be about 70 years of the Y-Block AND 30 years dedicated to car clubs that are passionate about both the event, and Ford Motor Company.

Gates open at 7 AM daily for the annual showcase of all things Ford and this year, the National Parts Depot Showfield hosts a Y-Block Reunion.  From 1954-1964, Ford’s Y-Block engine sales dominated the V8 market.  Popular in Fords and Mercurys of the time, it replaced the Flat Head as the engine of choice for enthusiasts.  Fast forward to late May and guests can count on a great display tent on the north side of the grounds hosting a selected group of those awesome Fords.  

In addition to the Y-Block Reunion, modern Ford fans can count on two new Showfield classics specific to RTR vehicles.  RTR owners are cut from a different cloth and no doubt have a special piece of engineering parked in their garage.  Starting this year, the National Parts Depot Showfield will expand its class offerings to include Class 190 (all RTR Mustangs) and Class 195 (all RTR vehicles/Non-Mustang).  2024 and beyond will be THE time to show off the raw emotion that comes with owning an RTR and what better place to do so than the Carlisle Ford Nationals.  This display, and others previously announced, are still actively accepting submissions for consideration at CarlisleEvents.com.  The submission process is ongoing into at least the first quarter of 2024.  Apply today for display consideration.

No one element of the Carlisle Ford Nationals would be possible without dedicated owners and fans of all things Blue Oval.  Dating to the first-ever Ford Nationals in 1995 and ever since, there are car clubs who call Carlisle home and have done so for nearly 30 years.  In fact, this year, as part of the Carlisle 50^th honors, Ford weekend will recognize “Charter” Carlisle Ford Nationals car clubs.  This special ceremony is planned for Friday, May 31 at the stage (time TBD).  Showgoers are encouraged to stop by the stage to see some of the enthusiasts/clubs who have been part of the Ford fun since day one!

Mix the Y-Block display in with club honors and previously announced themes, and that will make Carlisle the center of the Ford universe for three days only starting May 31.  Don’t have something that fits the bill for a featured display, but own a show vehicle?  Showfield registration is open now.  Full details on the event, links to purchase tickets, and more are available at CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855 today.

There’s a level of diversity that’s on display at the annual Carlisle GM Nationals car show.  In fact, with a multitude of nameplates falling under the General Motors umbrella in 2024, the show cars (and trucks) on display represent the past, present, and future of the brand.  This year’s event, June 21-22 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds, aims to welcome nearly 1,000 vehicles to the National Parts Depot Showfield and along the way, highlight some special displays too.

Showgoers can debate their favorite rides at Carlisle until the summer sun sets, but there’s no denying the luxury that comes with a Cadillac.  In fact, the Cadillac is considered one of the first automotive brands in the world and for two days in June, it’ll get the star treatment in and around Building Y.  Take a trip through time and experience “The Standard of the World” that Cadillac has become.  In addition to the best-of-the-best on display indoors, there are dedicated Cadillac classes on the Showfield.

Not far from the Cadillac’s in Building Y is the 3^rd Gen Nationals.  This show within the show spotlights 3^rd Gen Camaros and Firebirds and in its second annual offering, aims to top last year’s turnout.  The 3^rd Gen Nationals includes seminars, a 3^rd Gen parade, vendors, unique and rare 3^rd Gens, and more.  Look, the 3rd Gen Camaro Z28 wasn’t crowned the Motor Trend Car of the Year in ’82 for nothing!  These rides are super-hot and let’s be honest, they are just coming into their prime.

Gates open at 7 AM daily, with a nice mix of vehicles on display, automotive parts and cars for sale within the automotive flea market, and a great menu of food within the food court.  Make plans to be part of the 2024 Carlisle GM Nationals.  Applications for display consideration are ongoing through April, while the Gate-N-Go Showfield discount is in place through May 6, then ongoing at regular price thereafter.  Finally, spectator admission tickets are available online at a discount too, meaning there are many great ways to be part of the show and do so at a discounted price point.  As always, kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.  Full details on the event, links to purchase tickets, and more are available at CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855 today.

There is no doubt that the car show fun at Carlisle transcends generations.  Most times, that phrase applies to the people who pass through the gates of the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds.  For 2024, that phrase also applies to the Ford Mustang and its variety of offerings since its inception in 1964.  Powered by ponies, 60,000+ guests, and more than 3,200 show cars on the National Parts Depot Showfield, this year’s Carlisle Ford Nationals (May 31-June 2) is once again a can’t-miss car extravaganza!

Guests rolling into Carlisle for Ford weekend will be treated to a building filled with top-of-the-line Mustangs, legends if you will, a tent filled with a timeline of Mustangs spanning its build history, another tent welcoming some of the best Mustang II’s produced between 1974 and 1978, and yet another tent, this time playing host to 40 years of the SVO Mustang.

Let’s start with the Mustang Legends display in Building T.  What better place to host the star car of the Carlisle Ford Nationals and the centerpiece showroom of the fairgrounds?  Officially titled Mustang Legends, this display aims to showcase some of the most legendary and historic Mustangs ever built.  Plans are to include popular/iconic Mustangs, historic race cars, Mustangs with great stories attached, and even extremely low-production models.

Further, guests can revel in a display tent that’s more than 600 feet long, featuring a 60-year Mustang timeline.  10 years ago, when the Mustang turned 50, everyone at Carlisle flocked to see 50 cars that showcased the history of the brand, but you ain’t seen nothing yet!  As part of the big 6-0 celebration, the tent welcomes 60 Mustangs; from year one in 1964 to modern-day, 2024 builds. 

Another great Mustang showcase welcomes 50 years of the Mustang II.  From 1974 to 1978 Ford gave us the Mustang II, and this year at Carlisle, the National Parts Depot Showfield hosts a tent with many rare, well-preserved, and just flat-out cool Mustang IIs.  In addition, there will be a Showfield class adjacent to the tent. 

Finally, as these displays go anyway, there will be a 40^th celebration for SVO Mustangs.  From 1984 to 1986 SVO Mustangs were the rage.  Join the SVO Club of America in a showcase of these awesome machines, including a select number of survivors and even a few that have taken on a life of their own over the years.  Plus, much like the Mustang II, there will be additional SVO Mustangs on the Showfield adjacent to the tent.  The SVO crew will also anchor a parade on Friday, May 31 that all SVO owners can participate in.

Gates open at 7 AM each day and kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.  Complete details about the 2024 Carlisle Ford Nationals, including information on how to become a vendor, register for the Showfield, apply for display consideration, or simply purchase discounted spectator admission tickets can be found at CarlisleEvents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.

In less than one month the 50^th anniversary season of Carlisle Events kick-starts a summer of automotive fun at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds.  Events span April through October and along the way, welcome half a million guests from around the world through the gates for some of the largest car shows of their type anywhere.  There are many moving parts to an event and for the past two years, one of those parts has come by way of the Lions Club.  In fact, with the gracious support of car show guests, Lions have raised $17,000 for various causes.  For 2024, the Lions return, this time championing their vision program.

Each year, Lions staffers raise money for various causes, with vision being one of them.  As part of this cause, they take in cash donations, glasses (with lenses), or metal frames; all to benefit those in need.  In addition, they can offer vision screening scanning for irregularities in the eyes of young people.  In doing so, they’re able to identify certain markers that recommend parents take their child to an eye doctor for an in-depth eye exam.  It’s support for this cause that brings them to Carlisle this year.

Lions’ members have committed to being part of five events in 2024, plus another with a first-ever brand showcase and hands-on support for young people.  Confirmed events include Spring Carlisle driven by Hemmings (April 17-21), the Carlisle Ford Nationals (May 31-June 2), the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals (July 12-14), Corvettes at Carlisle (August 22-24), and Fall Carlisle driven by Hemmings (October 2-6).  In each case, team members will be ready with donation buckets in hand to greet guests at main points of entry between 8 AM and 12 PM from opening day through Saturday. 

In addition to having Lions at the gates for the aforementioned events, they also have a special plan in the works for the Carlisle Truck Nationals, August 2-4.  The truck show welcomes over 2,200 show trucks of all shapes, sizes, styles, and eras.  This includes a dedicated big rig Showfield, which also hosts companies recruiting drivers and promoting their business.  For the Lions Club, they’ll be bringing their custom-wrapped rig to the Show and Shine, while also setting up to do vision screening for guests 12 and under.  Donations will also be accepted, with the screening free for the kids.

“Lions have been involved in eye programs for over 100 years, and in 1925, Helen Keller challenged Lions to become the knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness,” said Zone Chair Ray Highlands, from the Carlisle Lions Club.  “Lions accepted her challenge and have worked diligently to include sight programs aimed at preventable blindness and eye diseases into our annual agendas,” continued Highlands.  “80% of all visual impairment can be prevented or cured.  Prevention and cures come from awareness and early detection especially in children who are vulnerable to eye diseases and sight abnormalities that can go undetected until it could be too late to cure or correct. Lions have helped 100s of millions through their vision programs.”

Showgoers can look for the Lions in their well-known yellow vest adorned with the Lions Club logo.  Each member will also have warm smiles, a caring heart, and a black donation tin in hand.  Learn more about the Carlisle Lions and their vision program at htts://e-clubhouse.org/sites/carlislepa.

Attending a car show at Carlisle isn’t just a great way to support those in need, it’s an affordable family outing.  Kids 12 and under are always admitted free at Carlisle and for details on vendor or Showfield registration, event specifics, or to purchase discounted spectator admission tickets, call 717-243-7855 or visit CarlisleEvents.com.