AUSTIN, Texas — Art and automotive culture collide this weekend at the Manual Focus Car & Art Show, a one-of-a-kind event bringing together rare vehicles, contemporary art, and Austin’s creative community. The show highlights the shared craftsmanship and storytelling behind both cars and art, offering an immersive experience that goes far beyond a traditional car show.

Co-founder Aaron Ross joined Sierra Waggoner to share the vision behind the event, which grew out of years of hosting car shows at Top Notch in Austin.

{p}Co-founder Aaron Ross joined Sierra Waggoner to share the vision behind the event, which grew out of years of hosting car shows at Top Notch in Austin.{/p}

Co-founder Aaron Ross joined Sierra Waggoner to share the vision behind the event, which grew out of years of hosting car shows at Top Notch in Austin.

“We’ve been putting on this car show for a long time at Top Notch, and we started noticing that so many people were coming out, shooting photos, and creating all kinds of media,” Ross said. “It just became one of those moments where we thought, why not focus on this and not make it only about the cars? Let’s make it about all these other art forms too.”

The event will also feature a unique art auction. “We’re auctioning off these plaster cars,” Ross explained. “We send them out to artists all over the country, and they paint them, decorate them, or interpret them in their own art form, then send them back to us. Those pieces are going to be auctioned off all day Saturday.”ManualFocus-1.JPEG

The event will also feature a unique art auction. “We’re auctioning off these plaster cars,” Ross explained. “We send them out to artists all over the country, and they paint them, decorate them, or interpret them in their own art form, then send them back to us. Those pieces are going to be auctioned off all day Saturday.”ManualFocus-1.JPEG

Ross says the event intentionally highlights older manual cars alongside manual cameras, live art, and sculpture to create something different from a traditional auto show. “The cars themselves are older, so we focus on old manual cars and manual cameras, while people are painting, building sculptures, and creating in different ways,” he said. “We really wanted to emphasize something different from a normal car show.”

That creative approach carries through the entire weekend. Attendees can expect good food, live music, and interactive experiences — including a live car painting by Austin sign painter Andrew Manning. “There’s going to be good food and live music, and we’re even doing a live painting of a car,” Ross said. “Andrew Manning, a local Austin sign painter, is going to paint a car on site.”

That creative approach carries through the entire weekend. Attendees can expect good food, live music, and interactive experiences — including a live car painting by Austin sign painter Andrew Manning. “There’s going to be good food and live music, and we’re even doing a live painting of a car,” Ross said. “Andrew Manning, a local Austin sign painter, is going to paint a car on site.”

That creative approach carries through the entire weekend. Attendees can expect good food, live music, and interactive experiences — including a live car painting by Austin sign painter Andrew Manning. “There’s going to be good food and live music, and we’re even doing a live painting of a car,” Ross said. “Andrew Manning, a local Austin sign painter, is going to paint a car on site.”

{p}Ross says inspiration for Manual Focus came from seeing similar events on the East Coast, West Coast, and in Europe — and realizing Austin deserved its own version. “We see this kind of thing in other places, and I’m not saying no one is doing car shows in Texas,” he said. “But for us, it was more like, hey, we could do this our way. Austin is a huge city with a massive car community. Why wait for someone else when we’ve built this community over the last few years at Top Notch? Why not us?”{/p}

Ross says inspiration for Manual Focus came from seeing similar events on the East Coast, West Coast, and in Europe — and realizing Austin deserved its own version. “We see this kind of thing in other places, and I’m not saying no one is doing car shows in Texas,” he said. “But for us, it was more like, hey, we could do this our way. Austin is a huge city with a massive car community. Why wait for someone else when we’ve built this community over the last few years at Top Notch? Why not us?”

The event will also feature a unique art auction. “We’re auctioning off these plaster cars,” Ross explained. “We send them out to artists all over the country, and they paint them, decorate them, or interpret them in their own art form, then send them back to us. Those pieces are going to be auctioned off all day Saturday.”

{p}Ross says inspiration for Manual Focus came from seeing similar events on the East Coast, West Coast, and in Europe — and realizing Austin deserved its own version. “We see this kind of thing in other places, and I’m not saying no one is doing car shows in Texas,” he said. “But for us, it was more like, hey, we could do this our way. Austin is a huge city with a massive car community. Why wait for someone else when we’ve built this community over the last few years at Top Notch? Why not us?”{/p}

Ross says inspiration for Manual Focus came from seeing similar events on the East Coast, West Coast, and in Europe — and realizing Austin deserved its own version. “We see this kind of thing in other places, and I’m not saying no one is doing car shows in Texas,” he said. “But for us, it was more like, hey, we could do this our way. Austin is a huge city with a massive car community. Why wait for someone else when we’ve built this community over the last few years at Top Notch? Why not us?”

The weekend kicks off with a pre-party designed as a VIP-style experience. “The pre-party is kind of like a VIP night,” Ross said. “There’s music, drinks, and Michelin-starred food. We’ve got Leroy and Lewis and Brewery Sushi, so there’s going to be a lot of really good things to enjoy.”

The event will also feature a unique art auction. “We’re auctioning off these plaster cars,” Ross explained. “We send them out to artists all over the country, and they paint them, decorate them, or interpret them in their own art form, then send them back to us. Those pieces are going to be auctioned off all day Saturday.”

The event will also feature a unique art auction. “We’re auctioning off these plaster cars,” Ross explained. “We send them out to artists all over the country, and they paint them, decorate them, or interpret them in their own art form, then send them back to us. Those pieces are going to be auctioned off all day Saturday.”

Ross says inspiration for Manual Focus came from seeing similar events on the East Coast, West Coast, and in Europe — and realizing Austin deserved its own version. “We see this kind of thing in other places, and I’m not saying no one is doing car shows in Texas,” he said. “But for us, it was more like, hey, we could do this our way. Austin is a huge city with a massive car community. Why wait for someone else when we’ve built this community over the last few years at Top Notch? Why not us?”

Manual Focus Car & Art Show showcases cars, creativity, and community

Manual Focus Car & Art Show showcases cars, creativity, and community

That connection to Austin is deeply personal for Ross. “I moved to Austin 20 years ago from Corpus Christi,” he said. “I rode BMX professionally for a long time and competed in the X Games, and Austin is one of the BMX meccas of the world — that’s really how I got here.”

Raised around cars by his father, Ross says the automotive world has always been part of his life. “My dad was a big car guy, so this has always been my world and my community,” he said. “We even have a daughter who’s a seventh-generation Austinite, so we’re here to stay.”

{p}Ross says the event intentionally highlights older manual cars alongside manual cameras, live art, and sculpture to create something different from a traditional auto show. “The cars themselves are older, so we focus on old manual cars and manual cameras, while people are painting, building sculptures, and creating in different ways,” he said. “We really wanted to emphasize something different from a normal car show.”{/p}

Ross says the event intentionally highlights older manual cars alongside manual cameras, live art, and sculpture to create something different from a traditional auto show. “The cars themselves are older, so we focus on old manual cars and manual cameras, while people are painting, building sculptures, and creating in different ways,” he said. “We really wanted to emphasize something different from a normal car show.”

The Manual Focus Car & Art Show is open to car enthusiasts, art lovers, and anyone looking for a creative, community-driven weekend experience. Tickets, schedules, and full event details are available online at manualfocusshow.com!

The Manual Focus Car & Art Show is open to car enthusiasts, art lovers, and anyone looking for a creative, community-driven weekend experience. Tickets, schedules, and full event details are available online at manualfocusshow.com!

The Manual Focus Car & Art Show is open to car enthusiasts, art lovers, and anyone looking for a creative, community-driven weekend experience. Tickets, schedules, and full event details are available online at manualfocusshow.com!