The city of Maumee forced the Northwest Ohio Showdown truck event to relocate, leaving hundreds of fans disappointed and organizers.
WOOD COUNTY, Ohio — What was expected to be a high-octane weekend at the Lucas County Fairgrounds quickly turned into confusion and frustration after the city of Maumee revoked its approval for the Northwest Ohio Showdown.
Organizers of the truck-centric event say they had been planning for a year, and nearly 500 people had already paid for tickets when the plug was pulled just before it was set to begin.
Brandon Nettles, a member of the NWO Showdown team, said the group’s intention was never to cause trouble.
"That's all we're here for. We're not here to cause harm. We're not here to be rowdy. We're not here to just cause chaos for the city," said Nettles.
Event organizer and host Austin Ferrell said the cancellation came as a shock and brought financial hardship.
"With thousands of dollars already paid out for awards, event bookings, you know, for venue bookings and things like that, that's money that I would have had to work for to essentially pay back," said Ferrell.
Ferrell was able to relocate the event at the last minute to the Wood County Fairgrounds.
"We are just grateful that we are still able to host our event. And it turned out as good as it did. And we are very thankful that the Wood County Fairgrounds came through and they helped us out on this one," he said.
Still, Ferrell said the abrupt switch turned what should have been a fun event into a stressful ordeal.
Jodi Flores, a board member for the Lucas County Fairgrounds, said the community missed out on more than just a good time.
"We've done a lot on these fairgrounds. The money goes to pay the bills. It goes to the kids, the 4-H kids, the FFA kids. It pays the people that work on the grounds, and without these events on here, they can't get paid, and neither can FAIR," said Flores.
However, city officials in Maumee say the event was misrepresented by Ferrell. In a statement to WTOL 11, the city said it originally issued a permit for a standard car and truck show under specific conditions—prohibiting burnouts, excessive noise, and other high-risk activities.
“Mr. Ferrell initially accepted these conditions,” the statement said. “However, shortly afterward, he publicly advertised the event as a burnout event, directly violating the agreed permit and city ordinances.”
The city said it was left with no choice but to pursue legal action to halt the event, citing concerns over public safety and a breach of the original agreement.
The incident has left lingering tensions between city officials, event organizers, and local fairground supporters, with all parties hoping future events can avoid similar disruptions.
Complete statement from City of Maumee:
The City of Maumee would like to clarify recent concerns regarding the cancellation of the car/truck show planned at the Lucas County Fairgrounds.
The fairgrounds are zoned residential, and all events there require City approval. The event in question, organized by Mr. Austin Ferrell, was originally presented to the City as a standard car/truck show. A permit was issued under that understanding, with reasonable conditions to ensure the safety of attendees and nearby residents, prohibiting burnouts, excessive noise, and other high-risk activities. Mr. Ferrell initially accepted these conditions. However, shortly afterward, he publicly advertised the event as a burnout event, directly violating the agreed permit and city ordinances.
The City attempted to resolve this issue through direct communication with both Mr. Ferrell and the Fair Board. Unfortunately, Mr. Ferrell ceased communication and threatened legal action if contacted, and the Fair Board did not respond to follow-ups. Due to the lack of cooperation and the planned violation of permit terms, the City had no choice but to pursue legal recourse to prevent an unapproved and potentially dangerous event from occurring.
It is also important to note that the Lucas County Commissioners, who own the fairgrounds property, explicitly stated through their legal counsel that they did not authorize a burnout event. Under Ohio law (ORC 4511.251), such activities are not permitted on private property without the owner's consent.
As public safety remains a top priority, the City made every effort to permit a lawful event. We regret that the organizers chose not to comply.