Frog Follies underway with future changes possible

VANDERBURGH COUNTY, Ind. (WEHT) – Roughly 2,500 street rods are in Vanderburgh County for the 49th annual Frog Follies. The event is called the largest pre-1949 street rod show in the country. “It is just phenomenal,” says Head of Grounds Ben Kloc. “The memories that come through here, the people who have been here for years and years.”

One of the many entries is Jerry Rajnoha, who came all the way from Japan! Well, Japan, Missouri. “We go to a lot of different shows all over, everywhere, but this is one of our favorite ones, so we come here,” says Rajnoha. “That one is a ’34 ford. It’s been modified from original, the fenders are gone, all that sort of thing.”

Rajnoha became interested in cars at 15 years old, but there is a concerning trend of fewer young ones showing an interest in a hobby he developed years ago. Kloc is hoping he can help bring in young blood to the club.

“We’re an aging club, just like all these cars are aging,” says Kloc. “We need younger people to want to drive and keep putting this thing together.”

“Well, I think the biggest thing is getting the kids here,” adds Rajnoha. “A lot of ‘Oo’s’ and ‘Ahh’s’, and if you can keep that going you can generate some energy to get them to do it.”

“There’s a lot of members in the car culture, but they’re not willing to do the pre-48’s,” explains Rod Run Chairman Ron Englert. “It’s kind of an expensive hobby at first, but you know, we’re trying to look and see how we can younger members involved in here and maybe see the affordable option for them to come into the club.”

Englert says that affordable option could mean changes to the frog follies that would include cars made after 1948. That possibility is currently being discussed by a committee. “They’re working on that,” says Englert, “we should see something within the next year-year and a half, an expansion of our membership.”

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