39th Annual Convention

June 25-29, 2025    ~    Akron, Ohio

Hosted by Craig & Chris Lane and the Buckeye Chapter of the NDC

Make your plans today to attend the largest annual gathering of DeSotos in the world! Our annual conventions are part car show, part sightseeing vacation, and part reunion with friends. Whether you want to come for just the show or for the whole event, all the details you'll need are below. Load the family up in the DeSoto and head to Akron!

Hotel: The convention host hotel is the DoubleTree by Hilton, located at 3180 W. Market St., Akron, OH 44333. The hotel is holding rooms for us at a special reduced rate of $169/night plus tax and fees, available in a single king or double queen configuration. This rate is also good for up to three nights before and after the convention. You can book your room by calling the hotel directly at (330) 867-5000 (mention the NDC to get the group rate) or use the reservation link here and enter the group code "NDC" after clicking on the "Special Rates" button. Book your room early. The reservation cut-off date is June 10th, 2025, with a cancellation policy of up to 24 hours prior to the reservation, or 12AM of the day preceding your reservation. If you have any issues reserving a room, please contact Craig and Chris Lane - see page 2 of the magazine or the registration form contact information.

Events: There will be a welcome cookout, tours to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, and the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, an ice cream social, swap meet, and, of course, the annual car show and awards banquet. For event details and convention shirt designs, reference the convention preview article here .

Costs/Sign-Up: For all costs and to sign up (you must be a dues-paying member of the club - if you wish to join, you can easily do so by clicking on the "Membership" tab at the top of the page), reference the registration form here .

DeSoto Car Show: The car show will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025, 9am - 3pm at Hardesty Park, 1615 W Market St, Akron, OH 44313. Rain or wet ground location at Summit Mall parking lot directly across from host hotel.

Note: Anyone looking to register and/or show a DeSoto MUST be a dues-paying member of the club due to insurance requirements. Sign-up for the car show will be available on-site. Spectating at the show is free and open to all.

NDC Chapter Events

Check below to see all the upcoming DeSoto related activities each chapter is hosting or participating in!

DeSoto Owners Club of Maryland

Serving Maryland and the surrounding area.  Chapter Contact:  Mike Bianco, President: mabianco54@yahoo.com

 General Inquiries:  DeSotoClubMD@gmail.com

3/13/2025 - Workshop Day and Ladies Luncheon

Workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 9:30 am, and ladies' luncheon. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on and Cheryl if you'd like to attend the ladies' luncheon.

4/19/2025 - Workshop Day and Ladies Luncheon

Workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 10 am, and ladies' luncheon. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on and Cheryl if you'd like to attend the ladies' luncheon.

4/26/2025 - 8th Annual DOCM & POC Spring Fling Car Show & Luncheon

9 am - 3 pm at Casa Mia’s, Parkton, MD. Morning coffee & donuts followed by lunch at noon. Full details to follow. Rain or shine. Coordinator: Activity Chair Cheryl Bianco.

5/15/2025 - Workshop Day

Workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 10 am. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on.

6/14/2025 - Club Meeting, Workshop Day, and Ladies Luncheon

Club meeting, workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 9:30 am, and ladies' luncheon. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on and Cheryl if you'd like to attend the ladies' luncheon.

7/11/2025 - 7/13/2025 - Chryslers at Carlisle

Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The National Club and DeSoto Owner's Club of Maryland chapter will both be representing on the show field and in the special Chrysler 100 expo building with cars and booths. Stop by, say hi, and talk DeSotos! Be sure to select “DeSoto” for the class and “National DeSoto Club” for the club affiliation when registering. For more details on the Carlisle event, go to https://www.carlisleevents.com/events/events-detail/index?id=chrysler+nationals

7/19/2025 OR 8/2/2025 - Club Members' Lunch Outing

Save the date! Plans are in the works for a lunch outing with our fellow members. No workshops in July. Details to follow.

8/21/2025 - Club Meeting, Workshop Day, and Ladies Luncheon

Club meeting, workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 9:30 am, and ladies' luncheon. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on and Cheryl if you'd like to attend the ladies' luncheon.

9/6/2025 - Annual Club Members' Picnic

Annual club members’ picnic at the Gallagher’s home in Bethesda, MD, 11 am. Hosted by Jack & Cher Gallagher. For more details, please contact Jack Gallagher at g6001@aol.com.

9/27/2025 - Workshop Day

Workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 10 am. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on.

10/16/2025 - Workshop Day and Ladies Luncheon

Workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 10 am, and ladies' luncheon. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on and Cheryl if you'd like to attend the ladies' luncheon.

11/13/2025 - Workshop Day

Workshop day at Murray’s garage, Millersville, MD, 10 am. Contact Mike Bianco if you have a vehicle you want to work on.

Date TBD - Annual Holiday Luncheon

Annual holiday luncheon. Details TBD.

The Buckeye DeSoto Club

Serving Ohio.  Chapter Contact:  President:  Bill Noble - nobledesoto@ameritech.net

4/19/2025 - Convention Planning Meeting

Convention planning meeting, DoubleTree by Hilton, 3180 W. Market St., Akron, OH.

6/25/2025 - 6/29/2025 - NDC Convention

The Buckeye Chapter is helping to host the National DeSoto Club annual convention in Akron, Ohio. For more details, see the top of this page.

7/26/2025 - AACA Grand Nationals

AACA Grand Nationals, National Museum of the USAF, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH (east of Dayton). The museum is free admission.

8/16/2025 - 25th Historic 3D Picnic

Historic 3D Picnic at Plzak Lake, 12:00 pm, 1600 Bell Rd, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022. Register at jnosol@windstream.net

11/8/2025 - Fall Meeting

Annual Fall Meeting, 11:00 am, at the Der Dutchman Restaurant, 445 Jefferson Ave., Plain City, OH 43064

Colonial Chapter

Serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.  Chapter Contact:  Lanette Peiffer, President - lanettepeiffer@comcast.net

5/26/2025 - Quakertown Memorial Day Parade

Quakertown Memorial Day Parade, Quakertown, PA.

8/3/2025 - Das Awkscht Fescht

Das Awkscht Fescht Annual Car Show, Macungie Memorial Park, Macungie, PA. Visit www.awkscht.com for more details.

Carolina Chapter

Serving North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.  Chapter Contact:  Phil Rast, Organizer - cappyhouse@hotmail.com

4/3/2025 - 4/5/2025 - Charlotte AutoFair

Charlotte Motor Speedway, NC. The Carolina Chapter will have cars on display at the Charlotte AutoFair. Saturday is the best day to come for club attendance! For more information about the chapter, the event, or how to participate, contact Dean Mullinax at desotodean@gmail.com.

4/26/2025 - Annual Meals on Wheels Car Show & Fundraiser

Meals on Wheels Car Show & Cookout. Starting at 10:00 am, Hennie & Yvonne Jacobs will once again be hosting their annual Meals on Wheels car show and cookout fundraiser, Greenville, SC. If you’d like to attend, contact Hennie at (864) 360-3815 and RSVP.

TBD - Fall Meeting

Details TBD.

DeSoto Motor Cars of Illinois

Serving Illinois and the surrounding area.  Chapter Contact:  Betty Beabout, President - (217) 826-2819

4/19/2025 - Spring Meeting

11:00 am - 1:00 pm, Baby Bull's, 1025 W. Reynold's St., Pontiac, IL 61764. Off HWY 55 at HWY 116 exit #187 in Pontiac, IL. Will be on left about 1 mile. Meeting will be in the "bar" near the banquet rooms.

7/26/2025 - Summer Meeting

11:00 am - 1:00 pm, Baby Bull's, 1025 W. Reynold's St., Pontiac, IL 61764. Off HWY 55 at HWY 116 exit #187 in Pontiac, IL. Will be on left about 1 mile. Meeting will be in the "bar" near the banquet rooms.

10/18/2025 - Fall/Christmas Meeting

11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Baby Bull's, 1025 W. Reynold's St., Pontiac, IL 61764. Off HWY 55 at HWY 116 exit #187 in Pontiac, IL. Will be on left about 1 mile. Meeting will be in the "bar" near the banquet rooms. There will be a $10 gift exchange: a girl gift for a girl and a boy gift for a boy. 

Great Lakes Chapter

Serving Michigan and the surrounding Great Lakes area.  Chapter Contact:  Glenn Colburn, President - gfcolburn@gmail.com

4/5/2025 - Spring Meeting

11:00 am, Ten Ten Buffet Grill & Sushi, 5282 Gull Rd, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. Restaurant phone number: (269) 553-9980.

8/23/2025 - Orphan Show

Orphan Show, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, Gilmore Museum (open 9:00 am - 6:00 pm), 6865 W. Hickory Rd, Hickory Corners, MI 49060. Pre-registration is recommended and the NDC Great Lakes chapter is planning to have an area to park all DeSotos together. If you'd like to participate and park with the other DeSotos, please contact Glenn Colburn (see above) or Jaye Justice so they can plan space accordingly. For more details on the event, see the show flyer here.

TBD - Fall Picnic

Details to come.