About us
Kriewaldt family parking
In the early 1980s, George and Darlene Kriewaldt sought a way to save extra money that would one day put their children through college. With land adjacent to the site of the annual Iola Car Show, the Kriewaldts began renting parking space to spectators. That first year, they rented out parking to about 100 cars, but the operation grew alongside the car show, which now draws more than 125,000 people each year.
Three generations of Kriewaldts and a great group of family friends help out every year to make the endeavor a success. This group dedicates hundreds of hours to preparing the lot and running the operation each year, ensuring that car show visitors have a safe place to park.
Over the years the family earned enough money to put their children through college, and several of their grandchildren as well. George and Darlene’s grandson Marcus just graduated from the University of Wisconsin—Madison with a degree in engineering, their grandson Erick is enrolled in the School of Management at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, and many more grandkids will go to college in years to come thanks to those who have used the Kriewaldt Family Parking services. Beyond college tuition, the Kriewaldts also donate a portion of the proceeds to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Friends of Scandinavia History, and toward prizes for the local Iola Fire Department raffle.
Some of the guests have been parking with the Kriewaldts for more than 20 years. Many regular customers have earned their way onto the Kriewaldt Christmas card list, and two attendees from Bloomington, Illinois have made it an annual tradition to bring donuts for the crew on their way to the show each day.
In 2019 we were very happy to take on an official role as a sponsor for the Iola Car Show, and look forward to providing reliable parking to our guests for many years to come. Thank you to all our customers, both new and returning. Enjoy the show!
The Kriewaldt Family