32nd annual Belvidere MoPar happening July 8th and 9th

[Duodec]

Chicagoland Mopar Connection Rock Valley Chapter Belvidere Mopar Happening  at the Boone County Fairgrounds
Car show and swap meet.
It looks like Saturday car show class showings are for the Modern Mopar Meet plus Chargers, and Sunday for classic Mopars though the flyer I have is a little conflicted on that.
Spectator admission is $5
$20 for car corral
Looks like $20 for show entry for a car with driver and one passenger for both days
Mopar Collectors Guide magazine photographer will be onsite
Food vendors and music onsite

If anyone has done this show at Boone County Fairgrounds and can comment on spectator parking please reply; I assume the fairground provides adequate parking but I've seen that not be the case at other illinois county fairgrounds.   Thanks!

[JH27N0B]

I go there every year. Don't  worry about parking. The west side of the fairgrounds is a large parking lot that never even gets half full, and the spectator entrance is right there.
Now that I have a trailer I'm hoping to finally get my garage queen T/A there. Logistics are a pain with the trailer stored 25 miles away, my property too small to park it or my rig here even overnight, and trying to round up someone nearby to guide me in, and out when I return Sunday, because threading the needle driving a fat E body in and out of a trailer without tearing a mirror off with the ramp cable is a nail biter. And almost a certainty for someone as cursed with bad luck as me!
A body owners have it easy....

[JH27N0B]

It looks like Saturday car show class showings are for the Modern Mopar Meet plus Chargers, and Sunday for classic Mopars though the flyer I have is a little conflicted on that.

Saturday is a casual day at the show. The swap meet and display buildings are going on, so if you're seeking parts you want to go early before stuff is too picked over!
There is a Charger club that has a "show within a show" Saturday of approximately 60-70 1966 through 1978 Chargers. I guess there's a modern Mopar club doing the same.  I don't pay attention to the new stuff so can't speak much on that, I've been too focused on the swap and vintage chargers to notice.
There's some other vintage Mopars around but it's not organized.
Sunday is the main show. 400+ cars if the weather is decent. It's very well organized on the show field with the large north field pretty much all vintage classes. Also a car corral. A little south of that field is C bodies and then modern.
Which is nice, if you are like me and not too interested in newer stuff you don't have to walk through rows of new to see vintage cars.
I'm just hoping it's not 100 degrees next weekend.

[Duodec]

Well I'm definitely most interested in classic Mopars, though its fun to look at the others.  But that means a two day visit because the swap meet is actually more immediate interest right now.  So Saturday for sure, Sunday if possible.  I'm not staying there overnight so its a bit of a drive.

I still need to make a list of parts I can let go of to raise cash for parts I need.  Probably not in time for next week...

E-bodies aren't fat.  They're curvaceous and voluptuous (Challengers got the better curves of the pair), not like snake-hip A bodies (though I like them too). 

[JH27N0B]

Maybe fat isn't the word.  Wide hips (or as Cartman would say, I'm not fat I'm big boned!)
Back when this show was held at the Belvidere Assembly Plant, the club had a feature where each year owners of different types of Mopar could sign up to drive their car off the assembly line at the plant and get pictures of your car "rolling off the line". Various B and A bodies got featured over the years, maybe some Cs I don't recall now as the 90s were a long time ago.
Our E bodies never got the nod as they were too wide for the plant equipment!
I've traveled to some shows with a friend of mine who has a hot rodded Swinger and envy him as I watch him drive in and out of his trailer.  The car has plenty of breathing room in his trailer!
My trailer has a left side escape door or I think I'd be screwed trying to get in and out of the car.
I've had my car transported to MCACN by a friend with a trailer with no escape door. Holy cow what a gymnastic exercise getting in and out!! Open door 6" with towel protecting it as it contacts the wall. Slither upper body out grasping at roof until you can get your feet on the sill. Pry yourself vertical. Slither sideways through that 5-6" gap and backward to the rear of car.
No fun.  His legs are more limber than mine, and he's able to lift a leg over the top of the door and then put a foot down on the wheel well to enter and exit. He is a Mopar guy, but disparages "fat Challengers".
The worst he ever transported he told me was a '76 Eldorado convertible.
I'll be more comfortable if I ever figure out how to use the winch in my trailer.  I think the late owner of my trailer installed it after tearing the passenger side mirror off his hemi cuda with a ramp cable at the Nats one year. 
News just said high of 81 next weekend. 

[Duodec]

Weather says rain probable overnight, and possible in the AM Saturday till about 9AM then cloudy, high of 76.  Sunday sunny with a high of 82.
Don't know if I will make both days but definitely going at least one day.

[Duodec]

Definitely a larger swap meet than the June event.  Mostly modern Mopars on show there today though there were a few very nice 'my' era Mopars there too including at least a couple from the June show.

I found a few parts I need, and didn't buy a couple items because sticker shock  (which means I probably should have bought them now...  ) and because I already have said items in somewhat less nice condition.

The swap meet item availability is quite different than 20+ years ago (when I last went).  I was expecting that but still surprised at the lack of many hard parts and components (and not just model specific restoration parts). 

Debating going again tomorrow but a couple of the swap vendors said they were there today only and tomorrow was largely for the cars and the show.  I need to spend more time with my car rather than ogling all the nice ones at the show

Definitely worth going to.  I'm looking forward to the MCACN show later this year.

[JH27N0B]

I went and picked up the trailer so am ready to load up and run first thing tomorrow.
Did the overnight rain spook most the the Charger show cars away today?

[jordan]

My buddy and I rode our motorcycles down to Belvidere today.  We were surprised at the low attendance.  Not that I read this thread do I understand the main show is tomorrow.  I thought the swap meet was small too. 
Still had a few really nice cars there.  My favorite was the black 69 charger with a Hellafant and Morrison chassis.  Very nice build.  I also enjoyed the green 71 charger drag car.  Super bad ass!  massive tires and a big ol blower and injected.  We were guessing an 8 second car. 
I would like to go back tomorrow to see more classics, but I am heading to the drag track to race a nostalgic nitro Harley pro fuel bike.  Hands on speed will always trump looking at something sitting still. 
Overall, still a great day. 

[Duodec]

I didn't track too closely but I saw two first gen Chargers, three second gen, two or three third get (early '70s) and two later '70s.  Lots of open space on Saturday.

There were a ton of modern Chargers and Challengers there (Saturday).

Since this is my first Belvidere show in years I can't comment on attendance; it was lower than what I remember when the event took place at the plant many years ago.

And I didn't make it on Sunday, too much work to do and wouldn't you know I won one of the raffles so will end up having to drive back to Belvidere/Rockford to pick it up at some point   

[Duodec]

Reportedly the UAW agreement with Stellantis includes a commitment to re-open the Belvidere plant.

[JH27N0B]

The CMC show hasn't been held at the plant for around 20 years, so whether or not the plant reopens has no affect on it.
CMC moved the show to the fairgrounds when it was decided to expand the show to 2 days from 1.  The plant couldn't accommodate having the show there Saturday also, so that is what prompted the move.  The show was pretty cool at the plant back in the day though.  I remember looking over at the adjacent tollway from the plant grounds and seeing the traffic backed up, and dreading my drive home when the show was over.  When I'd leave and get on the tollway, it would usually be fine.  The traffic jam was everyone slowing down and creating a gapers block, looking over at the car show!