As many of our readers are probably already aware, the Chevy Corvette turns 70 this year. First introduced on June 30, 1953 in Detroit, Michigan, the Corvette has become one of the most recognizable and collectible sports cars of all time. To celebrate its 70th anniversary, a diverse number of Corvette-sanctioned clubs and organizations – including Chevrolet itself – have scheduled special ceremonies/events throughout the rest of 2023 to commemorate this significant milestone.
Although it would probably be impossible to assemble a complete list of all the 70th anniversary events being held this year, we thought we’d bring you a list of some of the larger events across the country. Moreover, we compiled this list with you, dear reader, in mind. One of our criteria for citing the event was that it had to be open to the public. It is our hope that you might choose to jump in your own Corvette and participate in some of the commemorative “pomp and circumstance.”
So, in no particular order, here is a list of events celebrating 70 years of Corvette!
1.) Woodward Dream Show
Located in Pontiac Michigan, the annual Woodward Dream Show is a “significant hot rod, custom, cruiser, and muscle car show with a focus on featured classes, marques, and a celebration of car enthusiasm in the heart of the Motor City.” For the 2023 edition of this milestone car show event, the Woodward Dream Show will be commemorating the 70th anniversary of Corvette, as well as the 65th anniversary of Mopar and Ramchargers.
The event is held on Friday, August 18th, and Saturday, August 19th, 2023. Sponsored by Comerica Bank, the WDS will feature a variety of food trucks, refreshments, and live entertainment. On Saturday, the event will host its annual Woodward Dream Parade. During this time, an escorted parade of 200 invited cars will cruise Woodward Avenue in downtown Pontiac, Michigan. Additionally, attendees can experience the thrill of a fast lap at the M1 Concourse Circuit by participating in the Race Speed Track Event (RSTEs).
To commemorate Corvette’s 70th Anniversary, the Woodward Dream Show will have a massive display of Corvettes – one from every year of production – on hand for the event. This includes the “one and only” 1983 Corvette, which is being lent to the WDS by the National Corvette Museum. It marks the first time since the 1983 Corvette was donated to the NCM that it has left their premises. If you’ve never seen the 1983 Corvette in-person, we strongly encourage you to check it (along with the other 69 Corvettes) out at the WDS this August!
2.) Back to the Bricks 70th Anniversary Celebration
On June 30, 2023, enthusiasts are encouraged to travel to Grand Back Township, Michigan to attend the “Back to the Bricks” event commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Chevy Corvette. Sponsored by General Motors, this event will be held at the former General Motors Customer Care and Aftersales HQ building off Hill Road in Grand Back Township. The facility features a huge parking lot with “tons of room” for all attendees, including both Corvette owners and spectators.
The event will host a very special 70th Anniversary Corvette display with examples from each generation scheduled to make an appearance. One of the cars to be featured is an original 1953 Corvette – one of just 300 examples ever built!
Unlike the events previously listed, this 70th Anniversary exhibit/celebration is completely free to attend. It is scheduled to run from 5pm to 9:30pm.
3.) Lime Rock Park Historic Festival
Located in Lakeview, Connecticut, the Lime Rock Park Historic Festival will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette as the featured marque during Labor Day weekend (Sept. 1-5, 2023). The festival will celebrate the competition legacy that the Corvette has forged internationally, as well as the remarkable design journey that evolved through the incredible concept car designs that gave rise to the production models which followed them.
The Lime Rock Park event will feature 12 of Corvette’s most significant concept cars, including the 1959 Stingray Concept (pictured above) which wil be on loan to the park from the General Motors Heritage Center. Also expected for the holiday weekend are an assortment of celebrated guests, invitation-only dinners and a close look at some rare Corvettes developed for use both on and off the track. This gathering of concept cars will be but one of many special highlights slated for the traditional Labor Day weekend event.
“We are excited to host 12 of the most significant Corvette concept cars, they will be together for the first time in history at Lime Rock Park. I think this one will be a truly unforgettable event,” said Skip Barber, Historic Festival Event Chairman. “The Corvette has been a central player not only in American motorsports but also of course internationally. Between the amazing concept cars and some rare competition Corvettes that will be here on display, this should really be something special.”
4.) OBX Corvette Festival
The Outer Banks of North Carolina provides tourists and vacationers with a unique-and-serene getaway spot that is free of the crowded cities and overrun beaches ofter associated with vacation spots along the coast. Point of fact, the Outer Banks has no city scapes along its 100+ miles of wide-open shoreline. Instead, it is peppered with a variety of charming seaside villages, a mix of towns brimming with local artisans and restaurants, and a plethera of unique and friendly locals who strive daily to make visitors feel welcome to the area.
What could be better than that?
How about a two-day, all-Corvette festival hoasted in the heart of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This event, which is being hosted by the Custom Classic Corvettes Club, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the Garage Band Charities, Inc. associations, is a family-friendly homecoming for Corvettes from all over the country. The monies raised – $40.00 per car pre-registration, or $45.00 day of the show – will go to support these meaningful non-profits. Moreoverm attendees will be afforded a ton of family fun, food, games, prices and – most important of all – a huge homecoming of beautiful Corvettes.
The event is scheduled for Friday, October 6 from noon to 6pm and Saturday, October 7, from 10am to to 6pm. It will be located at the Southside Event Site, 6800 South Coratan Highway, Nags Head, North Carolina 27959.
