With the City of Carmel recently installing sculptures of classic cars in several roundabouts, organizers of the Auburn Cord Dusenberg Festival figured the city was perfect for a stop on its annual Hoosier Tour.
More than 35 Auburns, Cords and Dusenbergs will be on display for the public to view from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 30 at Carter Green. The cars will be welcomed into Carmel with a police escort.
The car owners will be hosted at Feinstein’s for a private lunch and presentation by Arlon Bayliss, the sculptor who created the classic car roundabout sculptures on 96th Street between Keystone Parkway and the White River.
The 67th annual festival is set for Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 in Auburn in DeKalb County.
“What they started doing 47 years ago is they would take a drive a couple of days before the festival to promote the festival coming to Auburn,” said Amber Caccamo, who runs the DeKalb County Visitors Bureau. “Usually we do a 60- to 80-mile radius. We’ve never been as far as Carmel.”
Caccamo said three Dusenbergs are part of the tour, which includes stops in Anderson.
“We haven’t had a Dusenberg actually take the tour in a long time,” Caccamo said.
Dusenbergs are the most expensive of the three cars, with some worth several million dollars depending on the condition.
Caccamo said there are 50 events, including auctions, swap meets, Great Gatsby gala, open car cruises, during the festival in Auburn.
Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard said the city is thrilled to host the Hoosier Tour.
“We share their passion for these beautiful classics, which inspired us to install the classic car sculptures on 96th Street, three of which are completed and one more to come,” Brainard stated.
Caccamo has arranged for Marmon Wasp, Stutz and Studebaker cars to be part of the display in Carmel.
There is an Auburn/Cord/Dusenberg sculpture at 96th Street and Delegates Way. The other sculptures are a Studebaker at 96th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway, the Marmon at 96th Street and Priority Way and Stutz at 96th Street and Gray Road.
