Huge Fundraising Effort to Take Place at Local Business with a Big Heart
Listen to this interview with Russ and Beth from Meineke Car Care Center on any device about this fantastic charity event. CLICK PLAY
The 4th Annual Car Show and Food Truck Festival is a community-oriented event hosted by the Meineke Car Care Center of Gardner, MA. Scheduled for Sunday, September 13, 2026, the event serves a dual purpose: providing public entertainment through automotive displays and live music, and generating philanthropic support for the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center via a large-scale raffle. The festival features a diverse array of specialized vehicles, a variety of food truck offerings, and live performances, all offered to the public with free admission.
The September 13th event will raise money for charity from the sale of raffle tickets. Gardner Magazine has seen some of the more than a dozen to 2 dozen prices and they are awesome.
Event Overview and Logistics: The festival represents a recurring local tradition, now in its fourth iteration, designed to bring together automotive enthusiasts and the general public.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Host | Meineke Car Care Center of Gardner, MA |
| Date | Sunday, September 13, 2026 |
| Time | 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM |
| Location | 412 Main Street, Gardner, MA |
| Admission | Free |
Philanthropic Component: A central objective of the event is the support of regional veteran services. This is facilitated through a large-scale raffle.
- Beneficiary: All proceeds from the raffle are dedicated to the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center.
- Raffle Scope: The raffle is comprised of approximately two dozen or more really cool prizes,
Programming and Exhibitions: The event offers a multifaceted entertainment program centered on automotive history, pop culture, and live performance.
Automotive Displays: The festival showcases a high-variety collection of antique and specialized vehicles. Notable categories and anticipated exhibits include:
- Movie-Themed Vehicles: Features include the DeLorean from Back to the Future and the Ghostbusters vehicle.
- Specialty Trucks: A vintage monster truck will be on display.
- Racing and Classics: The exhibition includes various race cars and a broad range of antique cars.
Live Entertainment: The event features live musical performances provided by the duo Matt and Kyle.
Culinary Offerings: The “Food Truck Festival” portion of the event includes a diverse range of mobile catering options. The menu items available to attendees include:
- Grilled and Classic Fare: Hot dogs, sausages, burgers, and steak and cheese.
- Specialty Items: Seafood, wraps, and fries.
- Dessert: Ice cream from Lickity Splitz, a local delicious favorite..