‘Cars Behind Bars’ at Old Joliet Prison a fundraiser for local museum

For the third year in a row, a former Will County resident is hosting a car show to support a local museum.

Tyler Simons of Wisconsin will host “Cars Behind Bars” from noon to 5 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Old Joliet Prison, 1125 Collins St. in Joliet.

The event will include about 250 vehicles of various makes and models, including classics, imports and motorcycles, along with automotive-related vendors and food trucks, Simons said.

All proceeds will be donated to the Joliet Area Historical Museum, Simons said. “Cars Behind Bars” typically raises $10,000 for the museum, he said.

Greg Peerbolt, the museum’s CEO, said he looks forward to “Cars Behind Bars” every year. For some people, “Cars Behind Bars” is their first time seeing the prison, he said.

“It’s a nice way for us to capture wider interest in the community,” Peerbolt said, later adding, “I think it [the prison] has so many stories to tell about us and our culture.”

Why would Simons create a fundraiser for the Joliet Area Historical Museum? Because Simons, who loves local history, interned for the museum while in college and is a former volunteer museum assistant, he said.

Simons also has been a car enthusiast for the past 10 years and has attended car shows in various locations, he said.

Simons also really wanted to photograph his car inside the Old Joliet Prison – and figured other car enthusiasts might, too.

“We just like pictures of our cars in cool places with good backgrounds,” Simons said.

But Simons also feels the community will enjoy the event, which comes with self-guided tours of the prison.

“It’s a unique opportunity to see two different roads combined into one place, between history and cars,” Simons said.

“Cars Behind Bars” is $40 per vehicle and $15 for spectators. Children 10 and younger are free.

Due to limited space, all show vehicles must be approved and registered in advance.

For tickets and for more information, visit carsbehindbars.org.