Doylestown At Dusk Brings Amazing Rides, Record Crowds To Town

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA — "Record-setting." Those are the two words organizers are using to describe Saturday’s Doylestown At Dusk Auto Show.

Upwards of 30,000 people descended on the county seat for Saturday’s 14th annual show, which drew a record 525 automobiles and trucks.

From West Street to Main Street, borough streets bustled with the sights and sounds of this year’s show, which rolled into town at full throttle thanks to the efforts of the Doylestown Rotary Club, which stages the show to raise money for community causes.

The Rotarians opened the show with the presentation of the colors, the National Anthem, and a moment of silence for the seven who lost their lives a year ago when flash flooding struck nearby Upper Makefield.

Muscle cars, vintage Model A’s, trucks, and super expensive Ferrari and Porsche cars were among more than 500 vehicles appearing in the show set before a backdrop of stately Doylestown homes and prominent business establishments.

“Phenomenal” is the word show chairperson and past club president Helen Amelsberg used to describe the day. "The weather’s perfect. It’s great for showing cars and for seeing cars. You're not walking around in the blazing hot July sun. And we have more cars to see this year," she added.

“People are so excited to come to this show,” she continued. “It’s a family show. People make memories here. They bring their kids and the kids remember it. They have a lot of fun.

"I love the different cars - the different makes, the different colors," she adds. "You can't hear their engines, but you can hear them when they're coming in. It's amazing what's here on the street. It's automotive history."

At the heart of the show, Doylestown firefighters were again showing off the company’s pride and joy, its 1923 restored Ahrens-Fox antique pumper, while its ladder truck displayed a giant American flag above the five-points intersection.

The Doylestown Fire Company shows its 1923 restored Ahrens-Fox antique pumper.

High-end cars lined up along West State Street.

Car show crowds along West State Street. (Photos by Jeff Werner)

Nearby, Menard Premium Auto Detailing of Doylestown was showing off a white Tesla cybertruck and eight high-performance rides along West State Street.

The excitement on the streets was palpable as crowds of people checked out a century’s worth of automotive excellence from Ford Model As to flashy Corvettes.

At times it was shoulder to shoulder as people filled the streets, checking out the cars, trucks and motorcycles. Restaurants and eateries throughout the heart of town did a brisk business. So did the food trucks parked along the streets.

Meanwhile, at center stage in the heart of the show grounds, the popular band “Springbrooke,” was jamming with its brand of blue collar rock. They were followed by the Rock and Roll Chorus, a 25-member a cappella group from New Jersey that energized the crowd.

Springbrooke performing its unique brand of blue collar rock.

The Rock and Roll Chorus, a 25-member a cappella group from New Jersey, energizes the crowd.

This year the event featured a record eight bands performing live music on two event stages. One of the best things about the show is that the proceeds will be funneled back into the community in the form of grants, said Amelsberg.

During a pause in the music, Amelsberg joined club president Bob Tessler in giving away $25,000 in grants from money raised from last year’s show. The recipients included the Bucks County Opportunity Council, the Bucks County Maternity Care Coalition, the Family Service Association of Bucks County, the Coalition to Support and Shelter the Homeless and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County.

History of the Show

For more than 20 years Bruce Rutherford helped run the Heart of Bucks car show at Central Bucks West High School. In 2010, with the popularity of the show dwindling and on-street shows blossoming, Rutherford approached the borough about relocating the show to State and Court Streets.

The first year of the show was a resounding success due to the show’s new setting against the dynamic and beautiful downtown backdrop. One year later Rutherford decided to bring the show under the umbrella of the Doylestown Rotary Club.

The Rotary also gave the show a conduit to direct the proceeds to community nonprofits serving the most needy in the community, including the Bucks County Opportunity Council, the Ann Silverman Clinic, Doylestown Health, among many others.

This is the 14th year that the Doylestown Rotary Club has held its Doylestown At Dusk Car Show.

(Car show photos by Jeff Werner)