Mid America Motorworks Hosts 26th Annual Corvette Funfest

For over a quarter of a century, Corvette enthusiasts have been flocking to Central Illinois for the “World’s Largest Corvette Party”. Hosted at the Mid America Motorworks facilities in Effingham, Illinois, droves of Corvettes will be driving onto the expansive grounds on September 19-22, 2019, to try and take in all that the event has to offer.

Mid America Motorworks is a leading supplier of Corvette parts and accessories, and as such, will have plenty of opportunities for owners to accessorize or personalize their rides. Many of the vendors that work with Mid America Motorworks will be on-hand to help customers make the best choices for their Corvettes, and to answer any questions they might have before purchasing.

But Corvette Funfest is so much more than simply buying a product. The title of “World’s Largest Corvette Party” sums it up pretty well. With the thousands of Corvettes attending the event, many of their owners use the time to visit with friends and participate in the event as a group or club. There will also be select judges roaming the Fun Field, searching for the perfect Corvette on which they can bestow their coveted Choice Award.

The relaxed atmosphere of Funfest also fosters a great opportunity to make new friends. This year’s event is expected to feature more than 6,000 Corvettes spanning all generations, as well as upwards of 20,000 enthusiasts, so there should be ample opportunity to meet someone new.

Groups of enthusiasts and clubs use Funfest as a time to meet up and spend some time together immersed in a sea of Corvettes.

You’ll also get the chance to meet some widely-known, and respected personalities within the Corvette realm. This year’s schedule includes an extensive list of Corvette dignitaries, including retired Chief Engineer Dave McLellan, retired Bowling Green Assembly Plant Manager Will Cooksey, retired Corvette Brand Manager Fred Gallasch, “Corvettes at Carlisle” President Lance Miller and restorers and authors Chris Petris and Kevin Mackay.

Notable Corvette personalities are always on-hand at Funfest. Corvette greats such as C4 engineer, Dave McLellan, Assembly Plan Manager, Wil Cooksey and others are typically found in the autograph line.

Many of these personalities will be holding seminars and autograph signing sessions during the event. There is a complete schedule of events on the Mid America Motorworks website.

There are also events that allow you to enjoy driving your Corvettes. Several excursions are planned, starting on Thursday, when over 1,000 Corvettes will leave Effingham en route to the town of Newton, Illinois, the hometown of Mid America Motorworks’ founder Mike Yager. A special homecoming and birthday celebration will be held, along with a performance by the award-winning Newton High School marching band. The evening will feature a speech by Yager about entrepreneurship. For those who like their trips kept to ¼-mile at a time, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering will host Corvette drag races at Coles County Dragway.

If you do need something for your Corvette, you’re in luck! Vendors such as Griot’s Garage, XPEL, Spring Mountain Motor Resort & Country Club, and many more will be there to make sure you get what you want and need. Mid America Motorworks also opens up their vast catalogs to allow to you get personal attention when ordering and then have your products shipped home to help save space for the ride home.

One item that is VERY popular at Funfest is a new exhaust. While many enthusiasts choose to enjoy their new exhaust on the way home, carrying the old one back home does pose a bit of a challenge. The growing pile of pipes attests to the popularity of this modification.

One of the key features that cement every Funfest event into the “party” realm is Saturday’s concert. This year, Mike Yager has secured live performances by the Beatles nostalgia band “The Return,” as well as rising country star Dakota Danielle. But there’s a LOT of fun to be had before the bands take the center stage!

Friday, Corvettes start pouring onto the campus early in the day. Then, they could choose to participate in the special Corvette drive to Tuscan Hills Winery for a charity benefit that will generate proceeds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. At Tuscan Hills that evening, a special light show will be sponsored by Wind Restrictor.

Saturday finds even more Corvettes winding their way across the show field. Attendees will be greeted with all-day festivities, seminars, and special caravans to Lake Sara for boat tours and visit the internationally-acclaimed historic “burger joint” Oilfield & Moonshine. Of course, the concert will cap off the evening with music and dancing back at the Mid America Motorworks facility.

The Saturday evening concert is always a favorite.

Sunday affords those in attendance with Corvette caravans to the nearby “Cross at the Crossroads,” located at the intersection of Interstates 57 and 70. There will also be bargains galore in the Mid America Fun Dome and opportunities for friends to say their good-byes as they wrap up another fun-filled Funfest weekend.

Check out the entire offerings of this year’s Funfest and if you like fun, food, music and driving your Corvette, you should plan on attending this year’s event on September 19-22, 2019.

About the author

Andy Bolig

Andy has been intrigued by mechanical things all of his life and enjoys tinkering with cars of all makes and ages. Finding value in style points, he can appreciate cars of all power and performance levels. Andy is an avid railfan and gets his “high” by flying radio-controlled model airplanes when time permits. He keeps his feet firmly grounded by working on his two street rods and his supercharged C4 Corvette. Whether planes, trains, motorcycles, or automobiles, Andy has immersed himself in a world driven by internal combustion.
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