12-year-old’s Code Red Car Show was ‘really, really fun’

For 12-year-old Utah car show organizer Abel Bringhurst, the third time’s the charm. “This was one of my favorite shows, and the most organized.” His Code Red Car Show on June 29, 2024, raised $12,441 for the Lehi Fire Department, thanks to an anonymous matching donation.

Bringhurst said a new station house is under construction in Lehi and, “I wanted to make it a little more comfortable for them.” The event, held at Young Living headquarters, drew in about 2,000 attendees.

Several car enthusiast groups showed up to support the Code Red show, including a rainbow of Porsches. Photo by Zach Owens

Not your average show

There are a lot of car shows in Utah, but not many like Bringhurst’s. There were vehicles of all types and eras, from classics to supercars and rare finds. And by rare, we mean the first and only one in the entire United States. Local Instagram favorite Supercar Ron brought his Pagani Huayra Roadster Tempesta.

A Fiat Abarth was chosen as a show sponsor favorite. Photo by Zach Owens

Among the classics were a couple of MG convertibles, a Model A truck, a racetrack-ready Fiat Abarth and a cotton candy pink Mini Cooper. Several enthusiast groups also showed vehicles at the event. “We had a group of Camaros, Stinger groups and some lowrider trucks,” Bringhurst said.

Slimer showed up to support Code Red. Photo by Tiffany Rhodes, KSL Cars

There were motorcycles and novelty cars, too, including a nod to “Ghostbusters” — complete with Slimer and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. “We had close to 200 cars there, and it was really, really fun,” Bringhurst said.

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Skydivers were one of the non-car highlights of the Code Red show. Photo by Zach Owens

Beyond the cars

Maybe it’s because the organizer is only 12, but Bringhurst’s shows are more than just cars. Take the skydivers, for instance. “The skydivers were a hit. I loved the skydivers.” It was something new he added to this year’s show, and he said it’s something he’ll continue. “The car owners really liked it.”

He also tried a silent auction with big ticket items, including a Cancun vacation. That didn’t go over so well. Bringhurst guesses the bid minimum was too high for most attendees, and none of the items were sold. But he’s not deterred; he’ll try again next year, with lower ticket items.

Lehi's fire department was the beneficiary's of the car show fundraiser. Photo by Tiffany Rhodes, KSL Cars

Emergency support

Each of Bringhurst’s annual Utah car shows — this is the third — benefits a different charity, but “I like to stick with the same subject of first responders.” His first, which he organized as a fourth grader, helped the Lehi Police Department’s K-9 unit. In 2023, he raised funds for Continue Mission, a non-profit for veterans.

Getting people to participate has been the easy part. There are “a few people who support me every year,” Bringhurst said, “but this year we had a lot of people come to my car show who haven’t been to one before.”

Organizer Abel Bringhurst ran the show from start to finish. Photo by Skyler Mortensen, KSL Cars

Get up and go

Although Bringhurst’s parents were on hand to provide support, the event was all his. He planned and organized it all. He even emceed the entire 3-hour event, making announcements, handing out raffle prizes and introducing the firefighters he was fundraising for.

Tiffany Rhodes, senior marketing manager with KSL Classifieds, said, “In a world of so many kids who don’t have big dreams or the guts to back them up, I was genuinely impressed with Abel’s ambition and confidence in addressing a massive group of adults. He was a real professional.”

Bringhurst's favorite car in the show was a 1960s Cadillac ambulance. Photo by Tiffany Rhodes, KSL Cars

It is kind of hard believing he’s still a preteen. But he hasn’t stopped being a kid just yet, evident from his favorite entry at the show. “A classic [1960s Cadillac] ambulance that was made to look like it was going to the hospital from a car crash. They had the hospital bed in the back, blankets and sirens,” he excitedly explained.

Will Bringhurst be back next year? “Oh absolutely,” he said. “I love hosting these car shows. It really makes me happy to bring the car community together.”

Follow @KSLCarsOfficial on Instagram to learn about other charitable Utah car shows in 2024; you’ll also find more images from Bringhurst’s show. Ready to start fixing up your own cool ride? Search for the perfect one on KSL Cars. 

*Main image photo by Tiffany Rhodes, KSL Cars