Cars are fun, but gatherings where car people can get together, show off their rides, share stories, and make new friends are even more fun. The thing is, for every Pebble Beach, there are hundreds of awesome local events that don’t get the same publicity as the big ones in the global automotive sphere. Enthusiasts are still putting in the work to pull them off, so let’s give them some recognition. Today, I want to ask you what car event you think more people should know about.

Living in Toronto, car season isn’t year-round but it sure is vibrant. Pretty much from May to October, weekends are filled with shows, casual group drives, track events, and everything in between. From Kaleidoscope’s celebration of Porsches and colors to The Vaulture packing venues full of amazing European cars to the mid-winter reset of Motorama for the muscle car crowd, there’s a little bit of something here for everyone. However, I want to highlight one car event in particular that’s spawned a lot of memories.

The big one for a lot of people is Oblivion, a car and culture show celebrating the ’80s and ’90s. Sure, it’s a concept that’s been done before, but beyond the outfits and cars, there’s a level of higher planning that goes into making each installation so memorable. The first Oblivion I went to was the second one, and it was held at Ontario Place before the province tore it down. Formerly a summer theme park with a cinesphere, it was a highlight of many Ontarian kids’ summers, and I was lucky enough to drive an E39 M5 right in.

Since then, the show’s cycled few several venues and themes. A summer camp, a mall, a wedding, and last year, a field trip to an agricultural museum. Beyond the nostalgic venue and involvement of Volkswagen, the sheer array of machines people brought was absolutely epic. I mean, take a look at this Daihatsu Charade De Tomaso. Yes, that De Tomaso. The guy behind the Pantera.

Or how about something more nursing home-spec? Check out this absolutely pristine Oldsmobile 98, immaculately preserved with gleaming chrome and an aftermarket set of Vogues.

Want mo’ late-Malaise? Boom. As far as I can tell, Ford never made an LTD shooting brake, but this glorious mashup of Fox Body components is done so well that it almost seems factory. I’m kind of amazed more eyeballs weren’t on it, but the amount of work needed to make an idea this crazy slide under the radar is enormous. Props to the builder for pulling it off.

Fancy a French connection? This Peugeot 106 is incredibly charming, a lovely example of a sensible yet fun hatchback. I know it’s easy to look back with rose-tinted glasses, but it wasn’t that long ago when much of the world could buy inexpensive new cars that were still fun.

Yes, even North Americans. This beautifully kept Neon is a great example of a car that used to be everywhere but is now an uncommon sight. Two-door coupes, fun colors, economy cars with stick-shifts and peppy engines, that used to be us. It’s easy to blame it all on the EPA’s footprint rule, but for now, I’ll just admire this magenta machine.

This year, it’s returning to the same venue as last year but shifting the time and theme. Instead of a daytime show, it’ll run from the afternoon into the evening with a drive-in theater theme. Car registration opens up on Saturday, here’s hoping the Boxster makes it in. So, what car event near you should more people know about? Let me know in the comments below.

Top graphic credit: Thomas Hundal