AS SEEN IN OUR F-SERIES BUILDERS GUIDE WINTER 2026 ISSUE – Buy Now!

Keeping The Party Going

Going into this show, I had no idea what to expect because my boyfriend and I had just come from the F-100 Grand National Show in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I couldn’t see how F-100 After Dark could be any better, but of course, I was wrong. The After Dark Show, in my opinion, was just as great as the “main” show, if not a bit better. The location for the show was just a parking lot behind the Hard Rock Cafe off of the strip but everything felt natural. There was no special setup as to where everyone had to park or who was trying to show off. Its laid-back organic feel is what made the After Dark show so unique.

This was my first time traveling to a truck show. I couldn’t just go home at the end of the day, so I was exhausted by Friday afternoon. All I wanted was to go back to the cabin and sleep. Of course, that was not going to happen, so my boyfriend brought me to the F-100 After Dark show, and I ended up having an amazing time. Trucks are his scene, and I have always tagged along, but I found myself enjoying this show just as much as he was because of the atmosphere show organizers Kyle Howard and Daniel Houston created.

Since I personally don’t know all there is to know about trucks, I appreciated the beauty and the history even more. With the After Dark show being set up the way it was, I was able to really look at all the trucks that showed up and even talk to the owners about the amazing history each truck has had. To me, this feeling is what draws so many people in. Most of the people that are at the After Dark show came from the much larger show beforehand, so most are tired and worn out from the long day, but that did not stop anyone from showing up. There was a huge crowd, and everyone had a smile on their face.

Kyle and Daniel held a big raffle in the middle of the show, and it was so cool to see everyone gathered around. Of course everyone wanted a chance to win, but it felt like a tight-knit community because everyone was joking around and just having a great time. Credit is most certainly due to the people who made the F-100 After Dark possible because without their charismatic attitude and bubbly nature, nobody would have enjoyed themselves. Kyle and Daniel made sure to thank each and every person involved and were genuine in doing so.

My boyfriend is a photographer, so I tend to just follow him around because he is looking for cool angles and special trucks to photograph, but at this show I ended up wandering off to look at some of the trucks on my own. One of my personal favorites was a 1979 F-150 Ranger with a custom paint job and KC Daylighters. The pinstriping on the tailgate was my absolute favorite detail!

Another favorite of mine was a blue 1977 F-100 parked in the middle of the lot. This truck belongs to my boyfriend. I could have chosen another truck as one of my favorites, but seeing people come up to admire it and seeing how happy it made him made me fall in love with it even more.

Overall, the best part of the F-100 After Dark show was the people. There were folks from all over the country and even some from other countries. Getting to know these people and understand where their love for Ford trucks came from was something truly special. This show is a must-stop for anyone attending F-100 Grand Nationals. You will not be disappointed!

Words By: Skyler Tfelt
Photos By: Cameron Webster