BY NATALIE DERRICKSON

Art, ingenuity, and power collide in Auburn, Indiana, this summer as hundreds of proud preservers of automotive history share their rides with the masses.

Although a century has passed since the Duesenberg won the Indianapolis 500, the cool factor of automobiles from a bygone era hasn’t aged a bit. See the striking design of Deusenbergs of yesteryear and the sleek modern machines of today at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival. Hundreds of cars are expected at this year’s festival, where attendees will have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see and even experience automotive history.

“The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club cars are the stars of the show,” said the Festival’s Executive Director, Leslie Peel. “It’s so exciting to see those cars driving around Auburn over Labor Day weekend. Many of those owners leave their cars on loan with our local museums year-round for all to enjoy and then take them out to drive during the festival.”

Spend your Friday at the Downtown Cruise-In at Auburn’s Courthouse Square. Here, entrants showcase their beloved cars for all to see starting at 10 a.m. while onlookers can weave into shops, dine at restaurants and food trucks, marvel at the murals, and refresh their palates at the official downtown bar. Tell the kids to save some room for the ice cream social at 5:30 p.m. before the free concert starts at 6:15 p.m.

If your Friday evening wasn’t jam-packed enough, the fun starts all over on Saturday morning. Wake with the owners and make your way to Eckhart Park to see the ACD Club cars for their show and judging before they roll out for Parade of Classics, which makes its way through the parade route starting at 1 p.m. and culminating at Courthouse Square.

Want to take a ride? Pick up a free Ticket to Ride at Auburn Fort Financial Credit Union starting Aug. 5 or at the festival and ride through downtown Auburn in one of the classics from 4 to 5 p.m. Generations of automotive history come together Saturday night for Fast and Fabulous powered by SweetCars. Over 100 exotic sports cars like Lamborghinis, McLarens, and Ferraris will cruise in from 4:30 to 7 p.m., with the Fast and Fabulous concert running from 6 to 11 p.m.

The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival runs Aug. 29–31 and is free to attend. While most events are centralized downtown, Auburn’s automobile museums and auction will host events during the festival. Learn more at acdfestival.org.

Natalie Derrickson is a freelancer from Indianapolis.