Auto show rescheduling at State Fair Park

The Greater Milwaukee International Car & Truck Show is moving to State Fair Park in 2021, a temporary location change brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Normally held in February at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee, the 2021 show has been shifted to May at the Exposition Center at State Fair Park in West Allis, said Jim Tolkan, president of the Automobile Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee.

Moving to a later date is being done because of the COVID-19 pandemic while also addressing calendar issues related to the selling season and manufacturers’ requirements for the timing of the show.

“Everything is going to be delayed this year, obviously,” Tolkan said. “The Auto Show will move, assuming an auto show can be held, to the first week of May.”

The auto selling season in Wisconsin essentially takes off each March, Tolkan said.

The timing of the show in February allows for some excitement to build among consumers who are shopping for a new vehicle, he said.

This year, though, hosting the event in February was not going to be possible because of the pandemic. So, the decision was made to move the show to May, but there were no dates available at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee.

“We were unable to secure a date at the Wisconsin Center

June,” Tolkan said.

That would have been too late in the season. The show could not be pushed back later than May because automotive manufacturers would likely not support a show so late in the year with another show set for February 2022, Tolkan said.

For 2021, the show is scheduled for five days beginning May, Tolkan said.

That depends on the progress that is made in controlling the pandemic.

“If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen,

District

until but at least we will be making the effort,” Tolkan said. “Based on the communications we’ve had with manufacturers, they are still hoping there will be some auto shows (in 2021) if not in January and February, in April and May.”

The ADAMM organization has already reserved the Wisconsin Center for an Auto Show in February 2022, Tolkan said.

“The hope is we’ll be able to have an event in May and then resume our same time frame historically starting in 2022,” he said.

MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL MICHAEL SEARS / A restored Chevy is on display at the Milwaukee auto show in February. The show for 2021 has been rescheduled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.