A little reason to celebrate
Collector Car Appreciation Day
Hobby ยท The second Friday in July
Collector Car Appreciation Day honors the classic, vintage and well-kept cars people restore, maintain and show, falling on the second Friday in July.
Collector Car Appreciation Day falls on Friday, July 9, 2027. That is 255 days away.
Somewhere in a garage right now, a person is polishing chrome on a car older than they are. Collector Car Appreciation Day is about that car, and about the people who keep machines like it running, shining and out on the road.
A collector car can be many things. It might be a restored roadster, a muscle car with a loud engine, an old pickup with original paint, or a modest family sedan that simply survived when most of its siblings did not. What they share is care. Owners hunt for the right parts, learn how carburetors and drum brakes behave, and keep records the way some people keep photo albums.
The day falls on the second Friday in July, which puts it squarely in car show season. Many towns already have informal gatherings in parking lots on summer evenings, where owners open their hoods, set out folding chairs and wait for questions. They usually like the questions. Asking what year a car is, or what it took to restore it, tends to start a long and happy conversation.
You do not need to own one to appreciate one. Looking closely is enough. Older cars show their design choices plainly: chrome bumpers, bench seats, round gauges, fins or curves shaped more for style than for wind. Some still have hand crank windows and a choke knob on the dash.
If a car on the street makes you turn your head, the owner probably noticed, and they probably spent a lot of Saturdays earning it.
Ways to celebrate
- Visit a local car show or cruise night and talk with an owner.
- Ask a relative about the first car they owned.
- Look through old car photos or brochures at the library.
- Wash and tidy a car you already have, inside and out.
- Sketch or photograph a classic car you spot around town.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, July 10 |
| 2027 | Friday, July 9 |
| 2028 | Friday, July 14 |
| 2029 | Friday, July 13 |
| 2030 | Friday, July 12 |
Also on July 9
- National French Fry Day
- National Sugar Cookie Day
- National Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Omelet Day
- Fashion Day
Categories: Hobby days