Molto Bella classic auto show cruising to new home at Hale Farm and Village this year
The 11th Annual La Macchina Molto Bella Auto Show will be motoring up the road to Hale Farm & Village later this year.
Event founders Frank Todaro and David Nelson announced in a news release that they will be partnering with the historic farm in Bath along with the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum in Cleveland for this year's exotic car show.
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron had hosted the event the last four years.
"We're excited to work with Frank and David and their team on this," said Western Reserve Historical Society President & CEO Kelly Falcone-Hall, who noted that the 100-acre farm in the CVNP will also host Fuel Cleveland, a vintage motorcycle show on July 27.
“We’re growing, and we want to make more money for our local charities,” Todaro said.
“I’m going to miss Stan Hywet,” he said, but the new location offers more space and plentiful on-site parking.
The car show, which features between 400 and 500 rare and exotic cars from all over the United States., was started 12 years ago to raise money for the Summit County Kidney Foundation.
“It’s important to us that you know your donation will stay in Summit County,” said Todaro, whose father, Camillo “Mel” Todaro, died in 2013 after battling kidney cancer. Nearly $1 million has been raised so far from the event.
The ASAP Foundation (Akron Society for Answered Prayers), of which Todaro and Nelson are board members, was recently formed so that funds from the event can be donated to help other local charities as well.
In addition to a $32,000 donation to the kidney foundation this year, over $35,000 was donated to the Harry Donovan Jr. Valor Home of Summit County — which provides help to homeless veterans — along with $5,000 to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and $1,000 to the Salvation Army.
“We have multimillion dollar classic Ferraris coming,” Todaro said, along with some one-of-a-kind Ferraris. "We have everything from exotic, classic, and antique cars to hot rods. There’s something for everyone."
Admission for the Sept. 22 show will be lowered from last year’s price of $20, although an exact price has not been determined. Ages 12 and younger are admitted free.
“I want more families to come," said Todaro, who is hoping to attract 5,000 people to this year’s show. "I don’t want them to go broke trying to have fun.”
The Western Reserve Historical Society “was so generous to allow the admission fee to go to the ASAP Foundation," he said. Cars will be featured throughout the grounds' historic village.
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens will continue to host a Father's Day favorite; the 66th Classic, Antique & Collector Car Show will be held there from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 16.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Molta Bella car show moving to Hale Farm and Village from Stan Hywet
