Presented by

Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival

Name: Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival
Start: 2027-06-09
End: 2027-06-13
Location: Downtown Albert Lea

June 9-13, 2027

The Best 5 Days of Spring

Albert Lea, Minnesota

The Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival returns in 2027 bigger than ever, with more music, cars, awards, vendors, cruises, and Pro Street action.

2027 Registration & Show Updates

Pre-registration opens January 1.

Pre-registration for the 2027 Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival opens January 1, 2027 at 12:01 AM.

Registration is capped for the full 5-day event: 625 cars, 150 Pro Street cars, 125 bikes, and 425 lifted trucks. Pre-registration helps guarantee show parking and allows participants to be included in the updated parking format being introduced for the 2027 event.

The first 150 entries received will be entered into a drawing for two sponsor-donated Harbor Freight toolbox giveaways. Winners will be drawn during the awards ceremony on June 12, 2027 at 3:00 PM.

The 2027 Schedule of Events is now available, with details marked TBD as they are confirmed.

View Full Schedule Register Online

What's Coming in 2027

More music
More Pro Street cars
More awards
More food vendors
More cruises
A bigger Pro Street Showdown

This is not just a park-and-sit car show. The Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival is a full multi-day event built around cars, music, cruising, competition, community, and downtown Albert Lea energy.

Featured 2027 Events

Downtown Car Show

The Downtown Car Show brings classic vehicles, custom builds, motorcycles, hot rods, and show-quality rides into the heart of Albert Lea.

Walk the rows, meet the owners, check out the craftsmanship, and enjoy a car show atmosphere built for both participants and spectators.

Car Show Details

Pro Street Showdown

The Pro Street Showdown is one of the signature attractions of the Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival.

Expect serious builds, bold styling, high-performance cars, community voting, and a bigger Pro Street experience for 2027.

Pro Street Showdown Flier Pro Street Photo Gallery

Bike Fest

Bike Fest fills downtown Albert Lea with custom motorcycles, vintage bikes, live music, and a bike parade.

Browse unique builds, meet fellow riders, enjoy live entertainment and food vendors, and experience one of the festival's most exciting attractions.

Bike Fest Details

Car Parade & Cruises

The festival keeps the cars moving with cruises, parade activity, and downtown energy throughout the event.

Classic and custom vehicles will be part of the full festival experience, giving visitors more to see and participants more ways to enjoy the weekend.

Open & Print Itinerary

Lifted Truck Showdown vs. Pro Street — burnouts, live music, dyno, vendors, and food

New for 2027: Lifted Truck Showdown vs. Pro Street!!

Two event days — Thursday, June 10 & Friday, June 11, 2027
All muscle cars welcome!
Judged Event — Lifted Truck & Magnificent 7 Awards Friday, June 11 at 2 PM, Fairgrounds Grandstands
Dyno Challenge — The Power House Mobile Dyno
425 truck spots available for the 2-day event
$40 flat rate for the 2-day event (Thursday & Friday)

Download Flier

Spectator Parking is Free

Cars, Trucks & Pro Street cars not registered online before the event must pay $25 per day to enter the fairgrounds and be included in the show!

This is a paid cruise-in event.

Thursday, June 10 — Main Event Day

Freeborn County Fairgrounds

9 AM – 10 PM
Vendors & food, plus a beer garden
Headliner band IV PLAY, 7–10 PM — Grandstands
- $10 per person admission

Friday, June 11 — Downtown Cruise-In & Parade

Freeborn County Fairgrounds

9 AM – 4 PM at the Fairgrounds
2 PM — Lifted Truck & Magnificent 7 Awards, Fairgrounds Grandstands
3 PM police-escort parade to downtown
4–10 PM cruise-in downtown & street dance
Headliner band BOMBSHELL, 7–10 PM — Downtown Main Stage

A lifted pickup truck on oversized off-road tires at the Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival Lifted Truck Showdown — Lifted trucks roll into the Freeborn County Fairgrounds for the 2027 Showdown.

SRC Pro Street car — 62 Pro Street/Pro Mod SS Impala "Roxanne" — It's not just trucks — Pro Street cars like this one will be there too.

What You Get for Your Registration

Here's exactly what's included with each 2027 registration fee.

Pre-registration opens January 1, 2027 at 12:01 AM.

Car Show

$30 – Full Weekend ($65 value)Saturday Only $20 (car show – no breakfast)

625 vehicle spots available for the full 5-day event

Includes all entertainment
Special event window decal
Annual car show parade
1 voucher for a free breakfast – Fairlane Building / Fairgrounds
Extra breakfast tickets sold at Fairlane Building, $15 each
Thursday cruise-in (downtown)
Friday cruise-in (downtown)
Friday: Pro Street / Muscle Car / Classic Car Show & Shine – Freeborn County Fairgrounds
Saturday cruise-in (downtown)

Pro Street Showdown

$95 – Full Weekend ($325 value)

150 vehicle spots available for the full 5-day event

Special event decal
Wednesday: Pro Street-only pre-party at Main Street Auto
Casino run cruise-in
Thursday: Pro Street & Lifted Truck Showdown – Fairgrounds
Fountain Lake cruise
Three Oaks Winery cruise-in
EXCLUSIVE IV Play headliner band night party!
2 VIP tickets to the IV PLAY band night – Freeborn County Fairgrounds
Extra IV PLAY tickets sold at the gate, $10 each
Friday: Pro Street & Muscle Car Showdown – Fairgrounds
1 voucher for the VIP Pro Street dinner per car registration – private event with cash bar, cigar & mixology
Extra VIP dinner tickets sold at the venue, $25 each
BOMBSHELL headliner band street dance cruise-in
Saturday: Annual Car Show entry
Annual car show parade
Evening cruise-in
UNCLE CHUNK headliner band street dance
Sunday: 1 free breakfast voucher (extra vouchers $15 each)
B&B Cafe benefit breakfast – Fairlane Building / Fairgrounds
Airport drags / radar runs (TBD)

Lifted Trucks

$40 flat rate – Both Days ($145 value)

425 truck spots available for the 2-day event

June 10th & 11th only – Freeborn County Fairgrounds
Awards: Friday, June 11 at 2 PM – Fairgrounds Grandstands
Special event entry decal – Lifted Truck & Pro Street Showdown
1 voucher to the IV PLAY headliner band concert – Grandstands, Thursday June 10, 7–10 PM
Extra IV PLAY tickets sold at the gate, $10 each
BOMBSHELL headliner band street dance cruise-in – Downtown, Friday night June 11

Bike Fest

$30 – Full Weekend ($65 value)Saturday Only $20 (car/bike fest show – no breakfast)

125 spots available for the 3-day event

Includes all entertainment
Special event window decal
Annual car show parade
1 voucher for a free breakfast – Fairlane Building / Fairgrounds
Extra breakfast tickets sold at Fairlane Building, $15 each
Thursday cruise-in
Friday cruise-in
Saturday cruise-in

Poker Run

$25 per person

Multiple stop options: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday (4 days)
Punches can be obtained each cruise-in night, or Saturday during the downtown car show
Multiple options to earn up to 8 punches to play 8 cards
Cards drawn and winners announced Sunday during breakfast at 10 AM
Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place

Poker Run Stops

Poker run stops will be handed out the day of registration

About the Festival

Celebrating Cars, Music and Community

The Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival brings classic vehicles, custom builds, live music, cruising, food vendors, awards, and rock 'n' roll history together in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Inspired by the legacy of Eddie Cochran, the festival celebrates automotive craftsmanship, local history, downtown energy, and the people who make this community special.

From Pro Street cars and custom builds to music, cruises, awards, and family-friendly festival activity, this event is designed to give participants and spectators a full experience from start to finish.

2027 Entertainment Lineup

Live Music, Three Nights Running

Entertainment Flyer Entertainment Schedule Buy IV PLAY Tickets

JUN 10

Pro Street Showdown Event

7–10 PM

Freeborn County Fairgrounds Grandstand

Ticketed event — buy tickets online, or get $10 wristbands at the gate ($20 extra for VIP access). Freeborn County Fairgrounds grandstands.

Buy IV PLAY Tickets

Eddie Cochran Festival

7–10 PM

Downtown Stage

JUN 12

Mike Bustin

10 PM–1 AM

112 on Broadway — Inside Bar

Mike Bustin performing live with his band

Lodging & Accommodations

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites and Best Western Plus are both official 2027 host hotels for the festival, June 8–14, 2027.

Both hotels are reserved exclusively for attendees, with truck and trailer parking available on site.

View All Hotel Options

Host Hotel Holiday Inn Express & Suites Albert Lea - I-35

Holiday Inn Express & Suites

77820 Main Street East, Albert Lea, MN 56007

Call (507) 473-2300 to book your stay.

Get Directions

Host Hotel

Best Western Plus Albert Lea I-90/I-35 Hotel

821 East Plaza Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007

Call (507) 373-4000 to book your stay.

Get Directions

Freeborn County Fair — The Six Best Days of Summer

Camping at the Fairgrounds

RV, motorhome, and trailer camping is also available at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds during the festival weekend.

Freeborn County Fairgrounds, Albert Lea, MN
John Schipper, Event Director
507-402-4304

2026 Festival Recap

Thank You for a Great 2026 Festival

Thank you to everyone who participated, attended, volunteered, sponsored, and supported the 2026 Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival.

View the 2026 award winners and photo gallery below, and watch for more 2027 announcements as they become available.

2026 Award Winners 2026 Photo Gallery

Best of Show 2026 Winner

Dave & Laura Linn

55 Chevy Belair. "The Virus"

Award: Best of Show
Year: 2026
Vehicle: 55 Chevy Belair
Name: The Virus

Best of Show 2026 award presentation for Dave and Laura Linn

Dave and Laura Linn with the 55 Chevy Belair The Virus

55 Chevy Belair The Virus at Eddie Cochran Festival registration

Stay Connected

Watch for 2027 Announcements

Future schedule details, registration links, award information, sponsor updates, vendor details, and event announcements will be posted here as they become available.

Follow the Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival on Facebook for the latest updates, photos, and announcements, or contact us with questions about registration, sponsorship, volunteering, or general event information.

Follow on Facebook Contact Us

Contact Us

Have a question about the 2027 Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival?

Use the contact form below for sponsorship, volunteering, registration, vendor, or general event questions.

Get Involved

Vendors: Food and beverage applications available – contact SRC
Volunteers: Help with registration, parking, or logistics – contact SRC
Spectators: Free admission – bring the whole family!

Festival Info

Locations: Downtown Albert Lea, Hammer Field Complex, Fountain Lake Gazebo, Moose Lodge
Host: John Schipper, Owner of Sick Racing Customs LLC (SRC)
Follow: @EddieCochranRodCustomFestival
Contact: john@schipps.com | 507-402-4304

Festival Team

John SchipperOwnerEvent Director507-402-4304 john@schipps.com
Bruce BeersCo-Host Event Director(610) 360-8638 bruce@beersconstructiongroup.com
Jess GlasselFood Truck Vendor Manager507-383-6218 jleigh011382@yahoo.com
Dennis GlasselFairgrounds Host Director507-383-6704 dglassel70@gmail.com
Brent Erickson112 on Broadway OwnerFairgrounds Beer Garden Manager112 on Broadway Entertainment Manager307-413-4670 brent112onbroadway@gmail.com
Jerry CollinsBike Fest Managerjerry@bigdreamorganics.com
Todd Francis MoranEntertainment Managerdrmoran@thetherapist.net
Cory RenchinShow Vendor Manager507-383-9324 crenchin75@gmail.com
Todd VogelsangDowntown Show Manager & PlannerParade Route Coordinator507-421-0748 tvogelsang@gmail.com

Event Hosts

Presented by Sick Racing Customs

The Eddie Cochran Rod & Custom Festival is presented by Sick Racing Customs and supported by local sponsors, volunteers, businesses, participants, and community partners.

SRC founders: Danielle Schipper / CFO, Paityn Schipper / shop tech, John Schipper / Owner.

Founder John Schipper of SRC has been involved in many projects and attended several high-profile events in show car culture, including Chicago World of Wheels, Street Machine Nationals, Pro Street Mayhem, GoodGuys Nationals, Kool Deadwood Nites, OBX Rod & Custom Festival, and now serves as Director of the Eddie Cochran Festival.

John is a true pioneer and entrepreneur dedicated to building excitement for future generations. Danielle oversees accounting and financial services, while Paityn has been involved in daily activities within the company. Paityn has also become the youngest member involved in painting and bodywork at SRC. At just 15 years old, she earned a 1st place award at the 2025 Chicago World of Wheels in Best of Class.