Congratulations on the 10-year anniversary of Rolling Into Roanoke! What does this milestone mean to you?
It doesn’t seem like 10 years since I presented a car show idea to the Roanoke Beautification Foundation board as a major community fundraiser and to highlight the charm of Roanoke’s Main Street corridor. The rapid growth and success right out of the gate were amazing; you only get one chance at a first impression, so the inaugural year had to hit it out of the park. I take a lot of pride in creatively concepting and implementing the themes with the help of the Rolling Into Roanoke, Inc. board members. It makes each show unique and invites different owners and their cars to be highlighted in the heart of downtown. I’m optimistic that in another 10 years we’ll celebrate our 20th anniversary!
What is this year’s theme and how was it decided upon?
Theme-wise, we decided that our 10-year milestone is worth celebrating and the party has already started! Our monthly Memory Lane series on Facebook and Instagram is a fun remembrance for longtime participants and spectators, as well as a how-we-got-here overview for new fans. We’re working on a commemorative 70-page hard cover book with photo galleries for each year and lots of thank-yous – it’s going to be a very special keepsake. The book is available for a $40 donation within the online registration form on the Rolling Into Roanoke website, and day-of at the registration booth.
What can we expect to see and experience at the 2023 Rolling Into Roanoke?
RIR 10 will be like a reunion with theme cars from each year, returning special features including the GM Futurliner #10, and the rare pairing of a 1927 Marmon and vintage Marmon pedal car. Downtown Roanoke has new boutique shops and eateries to explore, and our new sound system will pump fun tunes through the streets and into Roanoke Park. Like every year, the vibe will be buzzing with the enthusiasm and stories of auto enthusiasts.
Rolling Into Roanoke has been around for a decade. What does it mean to community members and how does it benefit the town?
Over $90,000 (of a $140,000 total to all beneficiaries) has been donated to Roanoke/Huntington County organizations including the Roanoke Beautification Foundation, first responders, youth programs and Roanoke Park. We’ve helped fund infrastructure projects like bridges to the park and will earmark this year’s major donation toward a new park playground. In the larger community, over $35,000 was donated to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, and National Auto and Truck Museum for automotive preservation and education. Rolling Into Roanoke covers a lot of ground beneficiary-wise.
Who makes Rolling Into Roanoke a successful event year after year?
Our event takes a village – literally as the Village of Roanoke. It’s the businesses and volunteers, and figuratively the northeast Indiana community and beyond. The latter includes our generous sponsors, vendors, the Auburn auto museums, our not-for-profit collaborators, loyal spectators and the participants who bring their amazing cars. Our board works year-round to stay connected with our fans, promote the car hobby and make each event as unique and memorable as possible.
