Summer in South Florida tests every car show attendee. Learn how to handle the heat, protect your car from sun damage, time meets around afternoon thunderstorms, and pack the right gear. A practical guide for surviving outdoor automotive events from May through September.
If you've been to a summer car show in South Florida, you already know the deal. By late morning the pavement is cooking, the humidity is heavy, and the heat index gets ugly fast. A four-hour Saturday meet without a plan leaves you sunburned, dehydrated, and wondering why you didn't just stay home with the AC on.
The good news is the locals who attend these meets year-round have already figured out how to make summer work. Promoters shift schedules, regulars dial in their gear, and the smart move is usually somewhere between sunrise and 10:00 AM, or after the sun starts to drop in the evening. Here's what actually works at South Florida summer meets, from someone who's been to enough of them to learn the hard way.
May through September is the toughest stretch. At a summer meet in Davie, Boca, West Palm, or Lake Worth, the difference between 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM is massive. By 11, the asphalt is radiating heat, the cars are baking, and half the people who showed up at 9 are already packing up.
Morning meets are why Rides & Coffee at Detail Superstore in Davie runs 8:00 to 11:00 AM. Cars & Coffee Palm Beach does the same thing, 8:00 AM to noon at the Boca Raton Innovation Campus. By the time it gets really brutal, most people have already seen what they came to see and headed home.
Evening cruise-ins also get better in the summer because you're not fighting the sun the whole time. Tuesday and Friday night meets pick up regulars who skip daytime events entirely from June through September. Temperatures in the low 80s with a breeze beats noon at the South Florida Fairgrounds every time.
Some of the bigger events adjust around the heat for exactly this reason. Supercar Saturdays Florida, for example, typically shuts it down after the spring run and comes back in September. That's not laziness, that's smart. Trying to display serious cars on hot asphalt at noon in July isn't fun for anyone.
Light colors beat dark colors every time. A black t-shirt and dark jeans turn you into a walking oven. White, light gray, tan, even pastels reflect sun and keep you a few degrees cooler. It sounds obvious but plenty of people still show up in all black and regret it by 10 AM.
Material matters too. Cotton breathes but holds onto sweat. Moisture-wicking athletic fabric dries faster and stays comfortable through a long morning. Old fishing or running shirts work great for this.
A hat helps. A baseball cap covers your face but your neck is still exposed. A wide-brim hat may not win style points next to the cars, but after two hours on blacktop, you'll understand why some people wear them anyway. Pick your battle.
Sunglasses with UV protection save your eyes from squinting all day, and polarized lenses cut glare off paint and chrome if you're taking photos.
Shoes are not optional. Closed-toe, real support, and something you can walk in for a few hours. Hot asphalt in flip-flops is a quick way to ruin your Saturday.
Water alone isn't enough when you're sweating heavily for hours. Liquid IV, Pedialyte, or even a regular Gatorade replaces the minerals you lose through sweat better than plain water. Mix one into a bottle of water on your way out, or grab one from a vendor at the meet.
The general rule for outdoor activity in Florida summer is 16 to 20 ounces of water per hour. Over a four-hour meet, that's most of a gallon. Most people drink way less than that and feel it on the drive home.
Coffee is fine. Cars and Coffee is right there in the name. But don't let it be the only thing you drink. If you start the morning with a large iced coffee, chase it with water before you spend three hours walking hot asphalt.
Skip the alcohol until the meet is over. Beer at a car show in August sounds great until you realize you're already dehydrated and dizzy in the heat. Save it for after.
Florida summer is rough on cars. Interiors, rubber trim, leather, vinyl, and dark paint all take a beating in direct sun for hours. A few habits make a real difference over a long Saturday at a show.
Park in shade when you can. Even partial shade keeps your interior 20 to 30 degrees cooler than direct sun. If you get to the meet early and have your pick of spots, look for trees, building shadows, or anything covered.
If shade isn't available, throw a windshield sunshade in the front. They're cheap, fold flat, and the difference between coming back to a 130-degree steering wheel and a survivable one is huge. Crack the windows if you trust the location.
For show cars, bring a microfiber and quick detailer or a bottle of rinseless wash. And here's one a lot of people get wrong: do not dry-wipe dust off black paint in direct sun. Use enough quick detailer to actually lubricate the panel, or you'll trade water spots for towel marks that need polishing to fix.
Hot asphalt also makes soft tires pick up every little rock and piece of grit in the lot. Worth a quick check before you leave.
Florida summer storms work differently than what most people from out of state are used to. They roll in fast, dump rain for 30 to 60 minutes, then disappear. Most days between June and September, you'll see at least one between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM.
Check the radar before leaving for any afternoon meet. The Weather Channel app, AccuWeather, or even a quick look at Windy.com shows you what's heading your way. If there's a thick blob of red and yellow tracking toward your meet, plan to be out before it hits.
If you do get caught in a storm with your show car, get the windows up and the car closed before the rain starts. If you can safely get under cover without blocking traffic, pumps, or business entrances, do it. Otherwise wait it out, then give the car 10 to 15 minutes to drip before driving home so you're not chasing water spots all week.
Cloth interiors and convertible tops hate Florida humidity. A waterlogged interior in summer means mold within days. Get sealed up before any storm hits.
Some events handle summer better than others. Here's where the regulars actually go from June through September.
Morning Cars and Coffee meets stay consistent through the heat because they end before the worst of it. Anything starting between 7:00 and 9:00 AM is a safe bet.
Evening cruise-ins become the social hub during summer. Tuesday nights, Friday nights, and Sunday evenings pick up regulars who skip daytime meets entirely. The Brass Tap in Boynton Beach and 26 Brewery and Kitchen in Pompano Beach both run weekly evening meets that hold up through the hot months.
Covered parking, dealership-hosted meets, and anything with real shade become a big deal in July and August. If you see one pop up on the event listings, jump on it.
Late September is when the calendar starts filling back up. Once the daily storms ease off and temperatures drop a few degrees, the bigger events come back online.
A small bag with the right gear changes the day completely. Here's what experienced South Florida show-goers bring:
A cooler with ice water and electrolyte drinks. Even if vendors are selling drinks, having your own backup means you never go dry.
Sunscreen, SPF 30 minimum. Reapply every 90 minutes if you're sweating. Florida sun burns faster than most people expect, especially between 10 AM and 2 PM.
A folding chair or small stool. Standing for four hours in the heat is brutal, and most meets have almost no seating.
A small towel for sweat. The kind golfers clip to their belt loop. Underrated tool.
Phone backup battery. Hot phones drain fast, and shooting photos eats power quickly. A 10,000mAh battery pack keeps you going all day.
Quick detailer and a microfiber for the car. Already mentioned but worth repeating.
Cash for vendors. A lot of food trucks and merch booths still prefer cash, especially the smaller operations.
Some days the weather wins. If the heat index is forecast above 110, if there's a tropical system sitting in the Gulf, or if the radar shows storms parked right over your meet location, it's okay to sit it out.
The South Florida car scene is built on weekly and monthly recurring meets. Missing one Saturday doesn't take you out of the community. Push your appearance to the next one and save yourself and the car.
Promoters cancel and reschedule when conditions get dangerous. Follow the events you care about on social media or check our event listings for updates before driving out.
Summer car shows in South Florida are doable, but they require respect for the conditions. The regulars who show up every month already know the drill: park smart, bring water, wipe the car down before the sun bakes everything in, and don't be the person revving under the awning while everyone else is trying to beat the storm.
If you've never been to a South Florida summer meet, ease in with a free morning Cars and Coffee or an evening cruise-in. They're the easiest entry point and you'll see how the community handles the heat without committing to a full day in the sun.
For event promoters running shows in the hot months, scheduling matters more than venue. The crowd will show up at 7:00 AM or 7:00 PM. Asking them to stand in a parking lot at noon in August is asking too much.
Mark the calendar for October when everything fills back up. October through May is when South Florida car culture is at its best, and the events will be waiting.
See you at the next meet. Preferably before noon.
These upcoming events align with places and shows mentioned in this article.
Car Show
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood
June 5, 2026
Car Show
Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale
June 21, 2026
Cars & Coffee
Detail Superstore Ft Lauderdale, Davie
May 31, 2026
