EAST MOLINE, Ill. — The Quad City Rod and Custom Show is drawing large crowds to the Bend XPO Center in East Moline this weekend.
The show features all sorts of cars from different times in history, including drag race cars, hot rods and motorcycles. The famous Ghostbusters Ecto-1 is also on display this year.
"We also have live demonstration pinstriping. Kids have an opportunity to make a sign that one of our sponsors, Premier Metal Art, will actually create out of metal," said Greg Dwyer, one of the show coordinators with Townsquare Media. "We have tire change competitions. So it's not just a car show, but it's lots of stuff to do within the car hobby."
For the show's 38th year, organizers made the decision to host it at the Bend XPO Center, which opened in East Moline in spring 2021. In the past it's been held at the Quad City Conservation Alliance Expo Center in Rock Island.
"We moved our locations because we wanted to be a little bit bigger, and a little bit different," Dwyer said. "This is really just access-wise, it's new, it's fresh. Everybody likes to play with a new toy, and that's what we have with the Bend XPO. It's a pretty nice toy."
Dwyer added that more cars are on display this year.
The Bend XPO is roughly 70,000 square feet, compared to the QCCA's 60,000 square feet.
However, QCCA President Richard Miller doesn't see the two event centers in competition. The QCCA Expo Center will always have lots of events to host.
"It's not that we're really in competition with anybody," Miller said. "We still put on the shows that we do ourselves here, no matter what. The Bald Eagle Days, Farm Show, the Outdoor Show, the RV Show, the big Flower and Garden Show, those are all produced by us, so we aren't going to lose them."
He added that he thinks most outside promoters won't want to switch locations for shows that have been at the QCCA Expo Center for a long time.
"Because people know that the shows are here, and trying to explain to people that it's in a different place is hard," Miller said. "So you know, yes there may be some new types of shows that go into the other venues, but most of the shows that we put on over the years are probably going to stay here simply because it's easier, their advertising stays the same, they know us, they know we get along with them really well."
The QCCA Expo Center is getting ready to host its Farm Show, beginning Sunday, Jan. 16. That runs Sunday 10-5, Monday 9-5 and Tuesday 9-3.
It also is hosting its Car Bike and Truck Show next weekend, Jan. 21-23. Dwyer added that he's looking forward to attending that show as well.
The Rod and Custom Show wraps up Sunday, Jan. 16. The show is open from 10-3.