PAOLI — On Saturday, September 5, the Rowlett Group–Williams Carpenter Realtors hosted the 2026 Fall Festival Car Show.
For many Paoli Fall Festival goers, the car show is a staple of the annual celebration, designed to preserve Orange County’s automotive history while bringing together car enthusiasts from throughout the community and beyond.
Paoli native Alyssa Lawson has had the opportunity to help organize the car show alongside Barry Laird for the past three years.
“I volunteer to help with the car show just because I love to do it, and it reminds me of days doing it when I was younger with my dad, Frank. That’s kind of how I originally got started in it; I was coming to the Fall Festival Car Show,” said Lawson. “We would come and set his car up and hopefully bring home a trophy, but since becoming a part of the community in a different sector, I’ve been able to step in and keep that tradition going.”
This year, participants had the opportunity to enter their vehicles in 18 different categories, showcasing everything from classic cars and trucks to Jeeps, street rods, and more.
The categories included:
- Best Chevy — Gerald Scott
- Best Ford — Johnathan Cox
- Best Mopar — Harold Horn
- Best Non-Big 3 — Keith Haley
- Best Mustang — Jim Riley
- Best Truck — Mike Atchley
- Best Street Rod — Brian Harrison
- Best Rat Rod — Andy Blanton
- Best Corvette — David Henderson
- Best Unfinished — Remington Laird
- Best 1980–99 — Marvin Horn
- Best 2000s and Up — James Folk
- Best Jeep — Jolene Fickas
- Best Anything on Wheels — Robert Gilliatt
- People’s Choice — Andy Blanton
- Sheriff’s Choice — Jim Riley
- Best of Show — Gerald Scott
With such a wide variety of categories, the event offered something for nearly every type of automotive enthusiast. From vehicles carefully restored to their original condition to unique custom creations and works still in progress, the car show highlighted the passion, time, and dedication that owners put into their vehicles.
For Lawson, however, the Fall Festival Car Show represents more than a collection of impressive automobiles. It is a tradition that connects generations and allows her to continue something she once experienced alongside her father.
As another Paoli Fall Festival comes to a close, the car show remains a familiar tradition for the community, bringing together longtime participants, new enthusiasts, and families who continue to make automotive history part of the celebration.
