Shelbyfest will be heading to Jefferson City in 2015, featuring multiple blocks of Mustangs and Shelby Mustangs.
The all-Mustang rally has been held in Hermann since it began in 2007, but facing some growing pains, founder and event coordinator Kyle Carraway decided to move the event to Jefferson City.
"We had outgrown the city of Hermann," Carraway said. "I had asked for some expanded show area and some members of the city government there were not prepared to give it to me. They didn't think that was something that they could do."
The event, held annually in April, will feature hundreds of Mustangs along High Street and toward Capitol Avenue. Carraway said the event has grown substantially since its inception, drawing people from as far away as Alaska and Canada and becoming one of the premiere Mustang events.
Carraway said Shelbyfest has had a tremendous economic impact in Hermann and he looks forward to seeing the same positive influence on local businesses in Jefferson City.
He said he plans to reach out to businesses in the downtown area to find the best ways to incorporate each into the event, whether it's an art gallery or a clothing store.
"Our people are known for spending," Carraway said. "We're very proud of the economic impact we've had in Hermann."
Carraway said he hopes to keep Shelbyfest in Jefferson City after 2015, though nothing is set in stone yet.
"I would like to say that this is the beginning of a new long-term relationship and I hope that it is," Carraway said. "Hopefully, we're going to be here for a lot of years."
Chris Wilson, sports and film sales manager for the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the CVB is thrilled at the decision to move the event to Jefferson City, adding the CVB feels "the positive economic impact will reach the entire community especially with the potential for future growth."