Father's Day Car Shows 2026

The Oles Skyline GT-R parked up at the Burdi Functional Art Car Show.

The Father's Day holiday has become a smorgasbord of delights for car enthusiasts, with many different car shows competing for our attention on the same day. For my family, the Father's Day Car Show at Oakbrook Mall was THE event to attend and display our treasured classics. However, the Functional Art Car Show at Burdi has grown in popularity due to its focus on exotic cars. In 2026, we decided to attend both!

Burdi Men's Clothing is located at 24 W. Hinsdale Avenue.

For decades, the building at 24 W. Hinsdale Avenue in Hinsdale, IL, was an ordinary local bicycle shop. Then Rino Burdi transformed the space into a men's clothing shop featuring hand-tailored suits and outfits. A true car enthusiast, Rino parks a special collector car in the center of the showroom. Every couple months. he swaps out the cars, alternating between vintage, racing, or exotic collector cars. Rino hosts at least two big car show events throughout the year, with the Functional Art show falling on the Father's Day holiday.

A lineup of rare McLaren Automobiles at the Burdi car show.

The Functional Art Show is now the premier exhibition of exotic and hyper cars in the Chicagoland area. One can expect to see everything from Ferrari and Lamborghini to McLaren, Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Pagani and more. With the opening of the new McLaren Showroom and Service Center in Hinsdale, it was no surprise that there was an exceptional turnout of McLaren automobiles, including a Sabre, an Elva, and a Speedtail, many with exposed carbon bodywork. The craftsmanship is next level on these machines!

The crowds showed up for the display of cars at Burdi.

Some of my son Clay's friends work at Burdi, so we were able to secure a spot for the Skyline GT-R on the main strip in front of the store around 8am. With our car parked up next to Porsche GT cars and a truly awe inspiring collection of exotic cars, it was really beginning to feel like all the years of work we put into the car were starting to pay off. The fact that we were one of the few RHD JDM cars on display made our contribution to the show stand out.

The Czinger 21C is an American hypercar featuring 3D printed parts.

A rare treat at the show was a chance to see a Czinger 21C up close. With its tandem seating, sleek aero silhouette, and jaw-dropping styling, it is good to see that an American company is making a lasting impression on the hypercar scene. Beneath the skin, a 3D printed skeleton of organic-inspired design helps shave weight and increase strength where needed. Hopefully, we'll see more of these on the road in the future.

The Mercedes 560SEC AMG widebody still makes an impression.

Another favorite car at the show was this Mercedes 560SEC AMG widebody that is owned by my friend Bill Keeley. The car was constructed in period by AMG Japan featuring wide flared bodywork, beautiful deep-dish 3-piece rims, and trick Recaro seats with electronic adjustment and about a million buttons! It was a pinnacle car in the 80s, and it still makes a statement today.

The crowd parts for the Skyline GT-R.

I left the show around 11am to head over to the Father's Day Car Show at Oakbrook Mall to join Cindy and my Dad. I left Clay behind with the GTR to finish the Burdi show and hang out with his friends. Although the morning was clear, storm clouds began to appear in the sky, with a threat of rain in the forecast. While the Oakbrook show was just getting started at 10am, the Burdi show would wrap up by noon. On the way out of the show, Clay was treated with a surprise...

The Oles Skyline GT-R wins Best Vintage at Burdi.

Rino Burdi handed Clay and the GT-R the award for Best Vintage car at the show! It was quite an honor to be recognized amongst all the rare a beautiful cars at this show. I wish I could have been there to experience the moment in person, but I am glad that Clay got to have his moment in the spotlight at this significant car show. I'm sure Clay will remember this event for a long time.

After 4 years of work, it was an honor to have our car recognized at Burdi.

Rewind to 6:30am earlier that morning. My Dad and I packed up and drove two Citroens from our shop space in Broadview to the Oakbrook Mall. Traditionally, the focus of the Oakbrook Father's Day Car show has been Classic and Vintage cars ranging from the early Brass Era all the way to Muscle Cars and the occasional Exotic Car. Russ, the organizer of the show, is a Citroen owner and enthusiast, so naturally he prefers us to bring our Citroen automobiles. This year, we chose to bring the 1957 Traction Avant Sedan and the 1973 SM. A beautiful pair of cars to display at one of our favorite shows of the year.

Citroen Traction Avant and SM on display at Oakbrook.

Both cars made it to the display area in the mall, however in true French car fashion, the Traction Avant decided it only needed 3 of its 4 cylinders to get there. The car was not running well by the time we arrived. With the threat of thunderstorms in the forecast, my Dad made the decision to have the car towed home while the weather was still clear, rather than having to deal with loading the car for transport in the middle of a rainstorm. So, the TA went home early and we unpacked the umbrellas. I left Cindy to babysit the SM while I went to join Clay at Burdi.

Stanley and the TA wave at the Oakbrook Father's Day Car Show.

When I arrived back at Oakbrook around 11:30am, the skies were still clear with a bit of cloud cover. I took a few minutes to see the other cars at the show before the crowds started arriving.

2000 Toyota Century at the Oakbrook Father's Day Car Show.

It was amazing to see this 2000 Toyota Century on display, offering the Japanese interpretation of a luxury automobile. With V12 power and lace covers on the reclining seats, anyone can feel like a VIP behind the wheel of this land yacht.

Tucker Torpedo at the Oakbrook Father's Day Car Show.

Only 51 Tucker Torpedo automobiles were ever constructed, so seeing one at a car show is a rare treat. This example was exquisitely restored to represent the forward thinking of Tucker and his dream of revolutionizing the American automobile. Event today, the car leaves a lasting impression.

Frank and Clay at the Oakbrook Father's Day Car Show 2026.

I am thankful to be able to share the automobile hobby with my son Clay, my father Stanley, my Uncle Jim, my wife Cindy, and rest of our family and friends. After attending these shows as spectators for years, the chance to share our automotive passion with other like-minded enthusiasts by displaying our cars is a privilege and an honor. I have made lifelong friends through this hobby that continues to give my life purpose and meaning.

Frank and Cindy dodge the cold, rainy weather in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, once the rain started it did not stop, until it was a full-on downpour around 3pm. Cindy and I found shelter where we could and shared a warm beverage to shake off the chills. When it was finally time to leave, of course the SM did not start on its own, requiring the assistance of a jumper pack in the middle of the rainstorm. Thankfully, the windshield wipers and the headlights still worked, and we were able to drive home safely in the rain. Two car shows in one day is a little more stressful than usual, but this year it was all worth it. Special thanks again to Rino and Russ for allowing us to show our cars and make new memories in the Chicago car scene.