The annual car show held on Father’s Day in Kimmswick has a new name this year.
It was renamed the Jim Mathis Memorial Father’s Day Car Show in memory of the show’s founder, Jim Mathis, who died in November 2023.
He and his wife, Jodi, and son, Brett, started the show 15 years ago.
“He was a car guy,” said Jodi, 74, of High Ridge. “We have three sons (Dave, Cody and Brett), and they are all car guys.”
The car show will be held Sunday. Registration costs $15 and will be from 9-11:30 a.m., and awards will be presented at 3 p.m. People may pre-register by going to gokimmswick.com/events/fathers-day-carshow.
For the show, cars will park along Market, Second and Third streets and on the field by City Hall, 6041 Third St., if weather permits.
If cars can park in the field, about 200 cars can be entered in the show. Last year’s show had 165, Jodi said.
“The most we ever had was 256. That was a couple of years ago,” she said
In addition to the car show, Sunday’s event will feature a DJ near the corner of Front and Second streets, and strawberry lemonade, soda and car show merchandise will be sold outside the Kimmswick Visitors Center, 314 Market St.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Visitors Center.
Jodi was a Visitors Center board member for 20 years before resigning in October 2023. She also owned the Kimmswick Korner shop for 14 years before retiring in 2017.
Jodi said Jim, her husband of 54 years, died after suffering a heart attack. He was 81.
Typically only the first 100 people to register for the show receive dash plaques, but this year everyone who enters will receive a plaque, Jodi said.
“We have more than 300 plaques this year because I want everyone to have one,” she said. “It has Jim’s memorial on it.”
Jodi said 27 awards will be given out.
“There is no set judging,” she said. “Merchants pick their favorite car. It is strictly the merchants’ preference and what they like for whatever reason.”
Jodi said the show is fun and encourages people to attend.
“All of the cars get there early, and it becomes a destination for people,” she said. “The shops and restaurants are open, so there is something for everyone to do.”