Organisers have discontinued the Rochester International Auto Show, which began in 1908, citing high event costs and attendance that fell after the pandemic.
The Rochester International Auto Show will no longer be held. The Rochester Automobile Dealers Association made the final decision to discontinue the exhibition, whose history dates to 1908.
Lenta.ru, citing Carscoops, reported that organisers did not state a reason in their public notice but told media the event had become economically unviable. Attendance dropped sharply after the COVID-19 pandemic and did not recover. Organisers also pointed to the high cost of staging the show and new ways for consumers to get information about vehicles.
The organisers thanked participants, sponsors and local partners. They said the Rochester show’s difficulties were specific to the event and did not mean auto shows generally were no longer viable; they described the New York and Los Angeles shows as comparatively healthy.
The Rochester exhibition had continued to draw visitors through snowstorms and severe winter weather. Its closure comes as consumers increasingly have other ways to learn about new models.