23rd annual Lehigh Valley Auto show expected to draw 45,000 visitors to Bethlehem

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A locally based auto dealers trade group previewed nine of the new models to be displayed at an annual event that’s expected to draw about 45,000 people and raise thousands for local nonprofits.

The 23^rd annual Lehigh Valley Auto Show, which takes place March 19-22 at Lehigh University’s Goodman Campus in the Stabler Athletic and Convocation Center in Bethlehem, will have models of nearly all types of cars dealers are selling in the Lehigh Valley.

“The cars are the stars in the show,” said Tom Kwiatek, executive director of the Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers Association. These include a mix of new models from Porsche, Audi, Range Rover, Jaguar and Maserati. This year’s show will have 145,000 square-feet of new trucks, cars, SUVs, crossovers, vans and cycles in four contiguous venues.

Aside from the vehicles, the 2020 show will offer more than 30 vendors and a distracted driving simulator, he said. In addition, the event will display local native Mario Andretti’s 1994 Lola T9400 Indy Car.

Kwiatek estimated that the show draws on average, about 45,000 people each year who can check out the different vehicles on display. Families can also sit inside them and see how they fit.

“We definitely see an uptick in sales when we have the car show,” said Tom Daub, chairman of the 2020 Auto Show and president of Brown-Daub Dealerships.

Sam Borrelli, president of GLVADA and president of Faulkner Chevrolet Cadillac, agreed, saying the auto show is his company’s best-selling event because people come to get information but there’s no sales pressure.

Kwiatek said GLVADA has distributed nearly $2 million of its money to local charities since he became executive director. “Dealers have been very generous,” he said. “It encourages more donations coming from actual dealers.”

This year’s auto show will bring about $90,000 in charitable grants to local organizations.

“The auto show itself is the reason there’s a GLVADA,” Kwiatek said.

Aside from the annual auto show, the association produces several major events each year.

At the preview Tuesday, Good Shepherd Pediatrics, this year’s auto show preview gala beneficiary, demonstrated new wearable technology that empowers children to walk. Trexo Plus, a locomotion-training device, uses robotic legs attached to a walker that allows children to walk hands-free.

“It’s a life-changing technology in so many ways,” said Amanda Kleckner, administrative director of pediatrics at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network in Allentown.

On March 18, from 6-10 p.m. GLVADA will host an auto show preview for the public, with all proceeds of the event benefiting Good Shepherd Pediatrics. Tickets are $100 per person, $160 per couple.

On March 19 and 20, participating nonprofits sell discounted advanced tickets as a fundraiser for their organizations. These include more than a dozen local nonprofits, such as America On Wheels Museum, Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley and Family Connection of Easton.

To order tickets, visit, www.glavada.org.