They flock from all corners of America, from Pebble Beach to Detroit to Jacksonville and back, two and a half tons of vintage steel that transform Main Streets and empty fields into a time capsule, a wormhole to malt milkshakes, James Dean and rock 'n' roll.

These classic roadsters made berth on the lawn of Macungie Memorial Park last weekend, heralding the 52nd annual Das Awkscht Fescht, billed as one of the largest classic car shows in the country.

Spanning 42 acres and featuring over 2,000 classic cars, an antique auto flea market hawking various age-old parts and wares, funnel cakes and fair food, and a self-proclaimed "Bandshell Bonanza" featuring live bands covering the Grateful Dead to The Doors, the festival attracted motor heads nationwide.

Buck Depkin, of Maryland, has been attending Das Awkscht Fescht for over 30 years and is simultaneously an owner, mechanic and steward of his vehicles. His current showcase, a 1954 Nash Statesman Custom, took about five years of labor until it was fully restored.

"You got to hunt all over the place for parts, because you can't just write checks and get replacement parts with Nash's like you can with Ford's or Chevy's," Buck explains.

"Sometimes you have to make your own parts you go out west and look at junkyards and find parts."

"That was our vacation," his wife Irene interjects, "Let's go to junkyards!"

The showcase car this year was the Chrysler 300, which began production in 1955 and broke land speed records for a motor vehicle, travelling from 0 to 60 mph in 10 seconds with a top-speed of 127 mph (the model's namesake stems from the 300 horsepower engine.)

The festival displayed a bevy of 300 models under a tremendous outdoor tent offering respite from the summer sun.

Michael Falcone, of Smithfield, R.I. has owned a Chrysler 300 for three years. The "letter series" variants of the automotive are notoriously rare. Falcone highlights the limited run of his ride as a mere 1,280 coupes. Though this is his first Awkscht Fescht, he is duly impressed.

"The quality of cars you get here is unbelievable," Falcone says.

There are two distinct strains of owners [at the show], both with merit: some owners are collectors who bought their automotive long after it left the assembly line and paid a premium price, while others retained their vintage cars as a relic of youth.

Tom Petrasek, of Huntington, Long Island, N.Y., has owned his 1970 Camaro Z20 Rally Sport since his formative years.

"I've had this since I was a kid and was lucky enough to keep it in my parents' garage," he says.

"I did what every other 18-year-old did and street-raced it for awhile."

Al Peinhardt owns a 1959 Cadillac series 62 Coupe Deville that looks like it drove right off of Elvis' Graceland lot. A pair of fishnet legs extends out the window of the backseat.

"That's Roxanne," Al explains, referring to the mannequin legs. "She's trouble, but she's sleeping it off right now."

The Peinhardt's also have a hot pink feather boa and accompanying hat for pictures in the spirit of the era.

This immersion and level of detail sets Das Awkscht Fescht apart for all ages, as older men wistfully recall indiscretions of yesteryear while the younger generation feels nostalgia for a time they never lived.