Love for all things 80s & 90s is nothing new. Just like you, the OBLIVION team grew up in the 80s & 90s drooling over posters, magazines and video games. For most of us, our first car is still in the stable even after starting our careers and our families.
Yet year after year Ontario’s rust belt consumed most of them, and it was hard not to notice cars like ours were becoming rare.
As we got together each summer for small events, we recognized the growing nostalgia and genuine desire for these old toys. We wanted to share the love of our cars and help this group celebrate the culture of the 80s and 90s we remember fondly. Members of our team, each with a number of 80s and/or 90s cars, found less excitement and less of a connection to other shows and decided the “classic” car show needed a modern update.
In 2015 the OBLIVION team began discussing plans for Canada’s first 80s & 90s show. We reached out and started gauging interest across southwestern Ontario. The fall of 2016 brought the team a solid relationship with a major sponsor and we continued to build off the momentum throughout 2017. Inspired by our love of this era, more sponsors came on board.
By the end of 2017 the team had booked their first venue and, in summer 2018, presented Canada with the first exclusively 80s & 90s Car & Culture show. Drawing attendees from as far away as Alberta, folks dressed in period-correct attire, and over 100 classic, exotic, and forgotten cars, OBLIVION was a bona fide success.
OBLIVION II in September 2019 was bigger and better than ever, showcasing over 150 cars at the iconic Ontario Place venue on Lake Ontario, with a wave of spectators stopping in to check out the cars, the food, the arcade, and everything else OBLIVION had to offer.
We also had a great display in the OBLIVION ROOM at the Canadian International Autoshow – a full 8 car display with collectibles and the 35 machine arcade!
Lock downs happened, and OBLIVION III was postponed until September 2021, where we featured another unique theme – a vintage summer camp which held our 170 plus cars was our OBLIVION III – CAMP OBLIVION for the day!
Now as we emerge into this post lock down world, we couldn’t be more excited to bring OBLIVION back Sunday, August 14th 2022 – we hope to see YOU in OBLIVION!