COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The 2025 Columbus Auto Show has been canceled but organizers told NBC4 work is already underway to try and bring the show back in 2026.

The show has been going on for more than 50 years. More than 30,000 attendees usually attend the event, according to the Columbus Automobile Dealers Association (CADA). It’s popular for consumers and car enthusiasts. For some, the going to the show is a tradition.

“It was just a really good time, they looked forward to it every year going, it was a nice connection for us,” Jody Goodhart said. Goodhart has gone to the show with his three sons for more than 20 years. It was scheduled to take place March 13-16. CADA has an announcement about the cancelation on the show’s website.

“I was sad, actually, and then when I really thought about it I got even sadder. Because yes we can go meet in a restaurant, we can go and have fun, we can still talk to each other and do whatever we do, but that part of that is gone,” Goodhart said.

Zach Doran, Executive Vice President of CADA, said it was a difficult decision. He told NBC4 the decision was made late last year, and the announcement has been online since January. More people have been learning about the news as they’ve gone to look for tickets, according to Doran.

“Our dealers were adamant, our board especially was adamant that they want consumers to have a good experience at the show and there were some concerns that brands that need to be at the show were not going to be there because manufacturers are pulling back,” he said.

Doran said in the past the show has had as many as 36 different vehicle manufacturers. He said some have been backing out of auto shows which led to the call to cancel. He also said it’s an issue that’s affected other shows around the country as well.

“We did everything we know how to do to get these brands represented and make sure we could put on a show our dealers and our association could be proud of and the concerns there just really were a challenge,” he said. 

Goodhart hopes the show drives back into town in 2026. “I know business and attendance and all that is up and down but to a lot of people it is important,” he said. Work to bring the show back is already happening, according to Doran. “We’re working on that right now, for 2026, trying to bring the show back online so I’m hopeful we can get it done,” he said.

Since 2008, the Columbus Auto Show & Charity Gala has raised more than $2 million dollars for local charities, according to CADA. CADA is still planning to continue charitable work this year even without a show.

“Historically we’ve had the charity gala in conjunction with the auto show. So not having the show this year, being forced to cancel, we now kind of have a blank slate with opportunity for the charitable event or the charitable effort to take place throughout the year or at a different time,” Doran said.