Lemont Hearse Show to Benefit Hope and Friendship Foundation

A group of local hearse enthusiasts is set to take over downtown Lemont on Saturday for its 15th annual "Greatest Show Unearthed" convention.

The show, sponsored by the Plainfield-based LasRyds Hearse Club, will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Talcott Square parking lot in downtown Lemont.

The family-friendly event is free to the public and will feature a display of hearses—some dating back to the 1930s. Organizers have also planned carnival games, a costume contest and charity raffles.

More than a dozen vendors are scheduled to appear, selling everything from funeral antiques and hearse-related merchandise to jewelry and Halloween collectibles. 

This year, all vendor registration fees and proceeds from special raffles will be donated to the Lemont-based Hope and Friendship Foundation, an organization that provides year-round assistance to those in need.

LasRyds members will also be donating a hearse full of food to a local food pantry, and will be collecting school supplies on Saturday for Hope and Friendship.

The LasRyds Hearse Club was founded in 1994 by Troy Hambly, the owner of Hambly Funeral Services in Plainfield. The group, which has more than 700 members worldwide, is dedicated to the ownership and preservation of funeral vehicles old and new.

For the past 15 years, the group has held the "Greatest Show Unearthed" as a way to showcase funeral vehicles and educate the public while also aiding local charities.

For more information on the event, visit www.facebook.com/LasRydsHearseShow.