By Rick Morwick
Carmel Artomobilia has always been a high-octane event for automotive connoisseurs. Now, its shifting into high gear to benefit another group — gravely ill children.
A showcase of nearly 400 collector and enthusiast cars on the streets of the Carmel Arts & Design District, the Aug. 25 IU Health North Artomobilia is expected to draw up to 20,000 visitors from Hamilton County and the greater Indianapolis area.
Launched in 2008, the 11th annual Artomobilia will feature a dazzling array of classic cars, sports cars, muscle cars, exotic cars and supercars — of all makes and models — in 20 judged classes and 15 corrals.
“That’s the beauty of the event,” Event Coordinator John Leonard said. “Most events are focused on a specific make or model. Artomobilia is the most electric automotive event in the Midwest and offers both breadth and depth of automotive interests.”
Free and open to the public, Artomobilia is the namesake attraction of the broader Artomobilia Weekend, which begins Aug. 24 with the fourth annual Fuelicious — a private auto and dining event at Lucas Estate — and the inaugural Aug. 26 SHIFT fundraiser, a private driving event to benefit the Indiana Children’s Wish Fund.
A poker run-style car rally, SHIFT is expected to attract approximately 50 drivers — in high-performance cars — for a 180-mile drive through the back roads of southern Indiana. Drivers will stop at designated checkpoints along the way and draw a playing card, which will afford spectators a chance to admire the cars.
“The event will begin at SILO Auto Club & Conservancy in downtown Indianapolis and then wind through a set of hand-selected roads, picking up a playing card at each stop that favor a spirited driving experience,” Leonard said. “We’ll finish back at SILO Auto Club, where the driver with the best poker hand will win bragging rights for the rest of the year.”
Registration for SHIFT is $500 per car. All proceeds benefit the Indiana Children’s Wish Fund, a statewide nonprofit that grants wishes to Hoosier children ages 3 to 18 with life-threatening or terminal illnesses.
“It will feature 50 performance automobiles from the last five decades on the best roads southern Indiana has to offer,” Leonard said. “Because we have such great sponsors during Artomobilia Weekend, 100 percent of the car entry fee for SHIFT will go to support the important work of the Indiana Children’s Wish Fund.”
Although geared toward car enthusiasts, Artomobilia isn’t strictly for gearheads. It literally has something for everyone.
“Each year, we curate a unique collection of collector and enthusiast cars. You might see cars that are impossibly rare,” Leonard said. “Equally important, the event is hosted in the Carmel Arts & Design District, and as such, it provides an unmatched atmosphere that can be enjoyed by guests of all ages.”
For more, visit artomobiliaweekend.com.
CARMEL ARTOMOBILIA WEEKEND
Fuelicious: A Celebration of Heart Health and Horse power
When: Aug. 24, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Where: Lucas Estate, 1143 W. 116th St., Carmel
Tickets: $275 per ticket or $2,500 per table; proceeds benefit Heart Reach/Bolt for the Heart.
For more: Fuelicious.com
Artomobilia
When: Aug. 25, noon to 5 p.m.
Where: Carmel Arts & Design District
Admission: Free and open to the public
For more: artomobiliaweekend.com
SHIFT
When: Aug. 26, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Roads of southern Indiana
Registration: $500 per car, limited to 50 curated collector cars; proceeds benefit Indiana Children’s Wish Fund
For more: artomobiliaweekend.com
