Labor Day Celebration continues with car show

PRINCETON, Ind. (WEHT) — Visitors from across Southwest Indiana Sunday showed off their classic and modded cars at the Gibson County Fairgrounds.

The fairgrounds is hosting the Labor Day Celebration, which is one of the oldest of its kinds in the United States and has roots in multiple parts of the tri-state including Princeton, Boonville and Henderson.

Sunday marks the familiar attraction of car shows in the annual celebration.

As a celebration which union members put together, union hands modified and reconditions plenty of the cars on the lot.

Gibson County Commissioner Warren Fleetwood and his project are no exception.

“My dad helped me. My brother helped me, and of course, I worked on it, and we put it all together,” Commissioner Fleetwood said. “So, to be here celebrating some of the classic vehicles that were made by our blue-collar community many years ago is amazing.”

The Labor Day Association says the car show is just one of the attractions offered to celebrate American workers nationwide.

“”It’s a part of our heritage — our tradition,” association treasurer Jarrod Skelton said. “It’s a way for workers to celebrate their work and hard work throughout the year, and it’s important that we continue this tradition — this celebration.”

Among the patrons who showed off their cars, Steven Davis parked his classic replica Herbie Love Bug Beetle for all to see.

Davis has only had his Super Beetle for less than a year, but he has continued putting in work.

“It runs good — drives good,” Davis said. “It gets lots of smiles on the road — lots of smiles, lots of waves. It’s a lot of fun to drive.”

The celebration continues Monday with the Labor Day Parade beginning at 9 a.m. in Princeton.

“I just love how welcoming everybody is,” 2023 Labor Day Queen Taylor Adams said. “We’ve definitely built an amazing community here where you can walk up to anybody, talk to them, tell them about yourself, and they’ll talk with you.”