(Words and Photos by Joe Grippo) I load my automotive calendar up pretty heavily throughout the year, but the first Saturday in November is always reserved for a trip to Harry Fleming’s Auto Parts in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. Harry’s junkyard is home to Fleming’s Pumpkin Run, a fast growing and extremely popular shindig that may be trading its quaint local show status in for full blown must attend event. This show has exploded in popularity in the last 5 years, partly due to word of mouth, social media, and maybe even with a little help from the yearly coverage on BangShift.

If you are a regular reader of this corner of the automotive internet, you probably have seen some past coverage of the Pumpkin Run. The variety of mechanized greatness that turns out for this deal is nothing short of astonishing. Is vintage dirt track stuff your thing? There is an onsite museum documenting all the historic and unfortunately long-gone dirt ovals that peppered southern New Jersey over the years. Harry Fleming, the man who owns the property, was a huge sponsor and fan of the roundy-round dirt slingers and is now a caretaker of the memories of the scene. Loads of original and restored race cars always load in to display for the crowds.

Continuing with the variety theme, one of the sections of the fields is reserved for classic Big Rig trucks. This is stuff you don’t see at every show, we’re talking vintage Macks, Diamond T’s, Kenworth’s, flat nose Pete’s and more. And when you add in the antique heavy equipment and tractors, it’s mechanical overload. On the opposite side of the spectrum there is always a large contingent of two wheelers at the Pumpkin Run…Choppers, Trikes, and restos from Triumph, Indian, Harley Davidson and more. Each year we see plates from many neighboring states represented out on the main show field. From Muscle like Boss Mustangs and big block Mopars, and everything in between to Street Rods and slammed trucks of all kinds were everywhere. Pro Street, Straight Axel Freaks, and Street Machines of every era are there for all your drooling purposes. And if you haven’t heard, custom vans are making a comeback, several killer “Sin Bins” were in attendance. I think I saw a few rockin’…but I didn’t go knockin’.

Don’t just take my words as proof, look through the galleries for visual evidence.

Aside from the all-encompassing show fields, don’t miss the mesmerizing Hit & Miss engine and vintage power equipment displays and pick up a fresh cut cedar shingle souvenir with the burned in Pumpkin Run logo created right in front of your eyes. The Flea Market area is always good for trinket hunting, and the food truck offerings are all worth the lines. I recommend the Sausage and Pepper sandwich paired with an overpriced Root Beer with unlimited refills and take home a few bags of the fresh Kettle Popcorn! And don’t sleep on the onsite junkyard in the surrounding woods, more on that later!

See you there in 2025, you won’t be disappointed.
Click here for more info:
https://www.flemingspumpkinrun.com/