Ford introduced its groundbreaking Model T in 1908. That same year, a group of automobile dealers in Rochester organized the city's first auto show. Indeed, it was a banner year for the budding automobile industry, and people all over the country longed for the chance to experience cars up close rather than through panes of glass at the zoo. For Rochesterians, the inaugural auto show gave them that chance.

Today, more than a century after it cruised into existence, the Rochester International Auto Show (hosted by the members of the Rochester Automobile Dealers Association (RADA)) at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center still gives attendees an opportunity to see motor vehicles they've never seen before. Year after year, it showcases high-end models from basically every manufacturer, including those that haven't even been released yet. What's more, the show regularly unveils some of the industry's most innovative advances, including alternative-fuel vehicles and smart cars that have no trouble with high-school-level algebra. All of these 200+ vehicles are situated in one location, giving viewers a chance to shop for their next car purchase.