By Kyle LoJacono
Staff Writer
ZEPHYRHILLS — The Pasco County Fair may be the most well known event in the county each February, but it does not draw the largest crowd.
That distinction goes to the Winter AutoFest, which is Feb. 18 to 21 at Festival Park, 2738 Gall Blvd. Organizers say the event will draw about 80,000 people during the four days.
“We expect to have people from around the state and the world show up,” said Pia Sierra, event organizer. “It is easily bigger than the county fair. We’ll have vendors from California and all over the country, and I know for sure some people from Sweden will be here selling cars. Big car dealers to average people can have a good time here.”
Pia is married to Tim Sierra, son of Mike Sierra who has been the owner of the event since 1987.
“This will be the 36th annual Winter AutoFest and I’m very excited about it,” Mike said. “I’m really just a little boy with some really big toys. I’m just enamored with cars and I think you should do what you love. That’s why I bought the show more than 20 years ago.”
Mike, who is a lawyer, was born and raised in Ybor City and moved to the Hillsborough County side of Odessa in 1981. He said his first car was a 1915 Hudson touring car, which is a convertible without windows.
His favorite car is the 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Mike likes the Silver Ghost so much that he bought six.
“I traded up for a superior car, even though it’s older than my first one,” Mike said.
The highlight of the event is the collector car auctions, which will be 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 20 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 21.
“We will have 300 cars up for auction,” Mike said. “We have many different kinds of cars at prices for all budgets. From as little as $6,000 and $10,000 to as much as $250,000.”
Pia said of the available vehicles, “All the cars will be at least 20-years-old unless they are customized in some way or are a convertible. Most will be from the 50s, 60s and 70s.”
Mike said anyone can buy cars at the auction from such dealers as Dave Murray, owner Orlando Classic Cars.
“We’ll bring 50 cars to the event and usually sell them all,” Murray said. “We’ve done the Zephyrhills AutoFest since 1992 and love doing it. It’s only an hour and a half away from where we are located and is always packed. The people who run it are very nice people too.”
Murray, who has owned Classic Cars for seven years, said some of the cars he would be auctioning at the AutoFest are a 1929 Chevrolet and a custom built 2002 Corvette.
Besides the auction, people can buy antique and exotic vehicles directly from sellers at the car corral all four days. People can also buy car parts, tools, restoration supplies and antiques that have nothing to do with vehicles throughout the event.
Stock cars, two-man speedsters, midget and sprint cars will all be raced during the AutoFest as well. Warm-ups for the races are Feb. 18, with races starting at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 to 21.
Mike and his family also have a fall version of the AutoFest each November. Last year at the 25th fall event, Mike said there was more than $3.5 million in sales.
“The fall event is smaller than the winter one and I’m hoping we can do $5 million in sales at this event,” Mike said. “That would be a record for us. The most we’ve done is $4.5 million a couple years ago. Maybe I’m just being hopeful, but we have some really good iron coming in and with a little better economy this year we might set a new record.”
For more information on the Winter AutoFest, visit www.zephyrhillsauction.com.
If you go
- What 36th annual Winter AutoFest
- When Feb. 18 to 21
- Where Festival Park, 2738 Gall Blvd. in Zephyrhills
- Cost $8 Feb. 18 and 19 and $10 Feb. 20 and 21
