If you’ve been around old cars for more than five minutes, you’ve heard someone say “Hershey” the way other people say “Christmas.” Nobody has to explain it.
The AACA Eastern Fall Nationals, better known as the Hershey Fall Meet, shows up every October in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This year it runs October 6 to 9, 2026. If you’ve been on the fence, consider this your nudge.
It started small. Really small.
The first Hershey meet was in October 1955. About 400 cars were entered for judging, but rain kept roughly 100 of those registered cars from attending. Seven vendors set up outside Hershey Stadium to sell parts. That was the entire flea market.
It grew fast. By 1960, the AACA’s Silver Jubilee, 891 cars were registered, and the gathering was proclaimed at the time as the largest gathering of old cars anywhere in the world. By 1965 about 35,000 people were showing up. In 1985 the show hit an all-time high of more than 2,100 registered show cars, and by the end of the 1980s the flea market had reached 10,286 spaces.
The only year the Hershey Region hasn’t hosted the meet since 1955 was 2020, when it was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the schedule changed to Tuesday through Friday instead of finishing on Saturday.
What you’ll actually find there
Hershey is really three events happening at once.
The flea market. This is the heart of it. There are more than 9,000 spaces, which means miles of tables, tarps and trailers. Hood ornaments, gas pumps, steering wheels, porcelain signs, boxes of mystery parts, and somebody’s grandfather’s tool collection. People walk it for days and still miss stuff.
The car corral. The Hershey Region describes the event as typically featuring more than 1,000 cars for sale, although the actual number varies from year to year. You can walk right up and talk to the owner. You don’t have to be buying. It’s a great way to see what’s out there and what people are asking.
The car show. On the last day, the Hershey Region says the show typically draws approximately 1,200 cars. They need to be at least 25 years old and recognized by AACA, and the judges take it seriously. Seeing them in person is worth the trip alone.
The stuff people forget about
There’s more going on than cars and parts. The 2026 schedule includes old-time movies Wednesday night and, on Thursday, the Race Car Condition Run followed by the Hughes High-Wheeler Event at Hersheypark Stadium.
There’s also the RM Sotheby’s auction at the Hershey Lodge on October 7 and 8. The public previews are free, but admission to the auctions themselves is limited to registered bidders, consignors and qualified media.
Practical tips for a first timer
- Admission is free. Parking isn’t; day parking is available at a daily rate set by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts.
- Wear broken-in shoes. You’ll walk more than you planned, then more after that.
- Bring a wagon or cart if you’re hunting parts. Hauling a transmission back to the car gets old fast.
- Go early. The flea market opens at 7 a.m. Tuesday, and the good finds go quickly.
- Bring cash and a tape measure. Cash makes haggling easier, and the tape measure keeps you from buying something that won’t fit.
- Dress for anything. October in Pennsylvania can bring sun, rain, or both before lunch.
- Thinking of showing a car or selling in the corral? You need a current AACA membership, and the 2026 registration deadline was August 15, so that’s one for next year.
Why it matters
Hershey is volunteer-run and the Hershey Region has hosted the meet every year since 1955 except 2020. It isn’t a polished corporate expo. It’s thousands of people who love old cars, with visitors from around the world, sharing a hobby.
You’ll leave with sore feet, probably a bag of parts you didn’t plan on, and a list of cars you swear you’ll find someday.
Can’t make Hershey this year? Check your local calendar for a cruise-in or Cars & Coffee. The spirit is the same on a smaller scale, and you’ll find plenty on CarCruiseFinder.com.
See you out on the field.