Like many people during the Covid years, John Wirth found himself restless and longing for some human interaction, but close contact with people wasn’t an option. As the owner of four classic cars, Wirth got an idea.

He started a weekend car cruise, calling on other nostalgic residents who remember cruising the four-lanes growing up.

“What better way to social distance?” Wirth said.

That idea snowballed as fellow cruisers began to talk about bringing back the car show held each year at Francis Park.

“We had never put on a car show,” Wirth said, but that didn’t stop the group.

Soon volunteers were going around to businesses asking for prizes. On July 4, 2022, the group was able to bring back the Francis Park car show over the Independence Day weekend.

“We had a great response with over 120 cars,” Wirth said, and the event raised $2,200 for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

But the enthusiastic response also led attendees to question where the Francis flea market and tractors were. Wirth began to talk to people- “a lot of people” about the possibility of returning those events to the park. He had never taken on such a task before, but he decided to give it a try.

With the help of flea market veterans like Brenda Kegebein, who has held multiple flea market events in downtown Kewanee, and tractor show aficionados such as Brett Bennett and Mark Rose, Wirth has been able to cobble the event back together. He’s even got food options lined up.

The 4th of July Car Truck and Motorcycle Show will take place from 9 am to 3 pm. Registration for the car show begins at 9 am.

The Flea Market will also be held at that time, but there are no fees for setting up a booth this year, Wirth said, as they try to get the ball rolling. Interested vendors are asked to contact Kegebein at (309) 853-9419 for more information.

Those interested in exhibiting a tractor should contact Brad Bennett at (309) 525-4055 or Mark Rose at (309) 854-1539,

Food will also return to the park with “Jammin’ for Justin” offering walking tacos. The Boy Scouts will be selling pork chops, while a church group will be selling fruit cups, and the Downtown Bakery and Eatery will serve breakfast and lunch.

Although Wirth’s idea snowballed into bringing back the festival, he admits he couldn’t have accomplished the feat without the help of other volunteers. For years, the Francis Park festival was dormant, he said, after the man who held the car show decided to stop doing it.

“It’s a thankless job,” Wirth said. “I grew up with that festival and I wanted to see it happen again. I got the car part going and there was an overwhelming response to it. It’s happening.”

Wirth said the event is sponsored by Gustafson Ford and proceeds will go to several charities including the Honor Flight, the Henry County Humane Society/Kewanee Shelter, and the Hog Capital Wildlife Rescue. As part of the event fundraising, a silent auction for a Pit Boss Smoker, donated by Ace Distribution Center, will also be held.