May 13, 2025
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Turning Back Time Car Show honors Bob Brown, longtime volunteer

Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show returns to downtown Sycamore July 27

By Kelsey Rettke
A community group that organizes the Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show poses with outgoing board member Robert L. “Bob” Brown. Brown helped organize the 50/50 raffle and volunteered yearly for the event, which will return to downtown Sycamore on July 27, 2025.

A community group that organizes the Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show poses with outgoing board member Robert L. “Bob” Brown. Brown helped organize the 50/50 raffle and volunteered yearly for the event, which will return to downtown Sycamore on July 27, 2025. (Photo provided by Turning Back Time Car Club)

SYCAMORE – A community group that organizes the Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show is honoring one of its own.

The Car Club recently recognized Robert L. “Bob” Brown for what they called his outstanding contributions to the organization and to the greater Sycamore and DeKalb County community. Brown will step down from his longtime role on the board this year.

Brown, of DeKalb, was part of the volunteer-run nonprofit organization that hosts the Turning Back Time Car Show in historic downtown Sycamore every July.

“We sincerely thank Bob Brown for his dedication, leadership, and the lasting legacy he leaves as part of our car show family,” group members said in a news release.

During his tenure, Brown was instrumental in growing the show’s 50/50 raffle to record-breaking levels, helping raise significant funds that directly benefit local scholarships and charitable organizations, according to a news release. His energy, creativity, and community spirit helped the event flourish.

The Turning Back Time Car Show welcomes more than 10,000 visitors annually, uniting families, friends, neighbors, and car enthusiasts from across the Midwest and beyond. Alongside Sycamore’s famous Pumpkin Festival, the car show is one of the area’s biggest attractions each year.

A community group that organizes the Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show is honoring one of its own. Robert L. “Bob” Brown poses at an undated Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show. Brown helped organize the 50/50 raffle and volunteered yearly for the event, which will return to downtown Sycamore on July 27, 2025.

Robert L. “Bob” Brown poses at an undated Fizz Ehrler Memorial Turning Back Time Car Show. Brown helped organize the 50/50 raffle and volunteered yearly for the event, which will return to downtown Sycamore on July 27, 2025. (Photo provided by Turning Back Time Car Club)

This year’s show will be held on Sunday, July 27, and will mark a major milestone: the 25th year of the show. The Turning Back Time Car Show honors the legacy of its founders, local car legends Chuck Criswell (Chuck’s Auto Repair) and Fizz Ehrler. Both died of cancer. Their vision was to create a celebration of automotive history and community spirit.

Organizers said people like Brown helped keep that vision alive.

Though Brown will step down from the Board, he will continue to be a vital part of the show. He’s expected to volunteer during the event, sell 50/50 tickets and help raise money for the many local causes the show supports.

Over the past 25 years, the Turning Back Time Car Show has donated more than $100,000 to scholarships and local charities. Every dollar raised goes back to the community.

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