Tell us about the Crossroads of America theme and how it will be incorporated into this year’s event.
Each year I come up with a different theme to keep the event fresh and fun for the whole family to enjoy, plus it brings in new and rarely seen automobiles from all eras. The idea for this year’s theme comes from my memories of growing up and going on family vacations in my parents’ station wagons and vans, and the fun that we had along the way. I was the youngest, so I always had to sit in the very back of the station wagon, but I did get to see a lot of America back there! So, this year I selected “Crossroads of America,” a focus on the family vacations of days gone by and the famous highways and byways like Route 66 and Lincoln Highway, and all the cool roadside attractions along the way.
Rolling Into Roanoke has been around for over a decade. How important has the surrounding communities’ support been in making this show a success?
Our sponsors have been exceptionally supportive. We are truly blessed to have sponsors and a community that share the love for this event as much as we do. It creates fun memories and allows us to donate proceeds to some important projects. For our 10th anniversary we were able to help the community with a donation of $30,000 to the new playground fund in Roanoke’s park.
What can attendees expect to experience at the 2024 Rolling Into Roanoke?
Definitely a great selection of ultra-cool and rare collector cars, hotrods and custom street machines from all eras, post-World War I cars, and the latest exotic supercars along with our featured theme vans, station wagons and vintage campers. There will be a special camp site set up in the town park for the vintage campers in addition to our day-of-show cruise-in cars and food court. The National Anthem will be at noon, and with us will be three Color Guard members from Indiana Air National Guard. We will have a DJ playing tunes from our road trip days, and all the great Roanoke restaurants and shops will be open, boasting their small-town charm and hospitality.
From its very first year until now, how has this event grown and evolved?
Rolling Into Roanoke started big and continues to grow every year. It has become a popular, sought after, one-day auto-centric event and fundraiser in the Tri-state area. Visitors and participants love the cars and the town. We focus on being the best of the best in order to continue building every year for our mission, our vision and our future.
What is your favorite part about Rolling Into Roanoke and why?
Conceptualizing the theme each year is something I take great pride in and put a lot of thought into. It always starts the year before, so we can promote it during the current year event and start recruiting featured vehicles. I enjoy reviewing the pre-registered cars online with their photos and descriptions. Once we sell out of the 400 downtown spaces, I select the zones that the cars will be displayed in, first based on the theme and sponsors, then some based on requests by owners, but mostly it’s my decision on how I see it best fits in the event and as an exhibit to the spectators. The day-of-event, I look forward to seeing it all come together like a well-oiled machine — with all our volunteers keeping it running smoothly, and finally the joy I witness on all the faces of families and friends. Living
