A vintage truck for sale at a previous Portland International Auto Show Swap Meet.

The Portland Swap Meet at the Portland Expo Center and the companion Portland International Raceway (PIR) Swap Meet return this coming weekend, in what has become a ritual kickoff to the automotive event season. For the Portland Swap Meet, this represents the 59th annual event, and the companion event at PIR has been running for several decades.

The Portland Swap Meet is traditionally held at the Portland Expo Center on the first weekend of April every year. Nearby Portland International Raceway started its own swap meet on the same weekend to handle the excess demand for vendor spaces. The two events now share parking and shuttle bus services, but still require separate tickets for entrance.

At these swap meets, you’ll find everything from perfectly restored cars to rusty “project” cars and unrestored “barn find” vehicles. The shows tend to favor U.S. domestic brands, but foreign car enthusiasts typically find plenty to strike their fancy. Parts, tools, and related automobilia make up the majority of the items offered for sale.

The swap meets are similar, but each one has its own personality. As a rule, the PIR swap meet is almost entirely made up of people emptying out their garages and workshops, while the Portland Auto Swap Meet is a mix of professional vendors and garage-cleaners. Food vendors operate throughout the event at both locations.

If you buy large items, complimentary parts pick-up areas are available at both locations. Attendees can store purchased items at the pick-up areas while they retrieve their vehicles. PIR offers a “haul and go” delivery system that transports purchases directly to buyer’s vehicles in the PIR parking lot.

The PIR swap meet is held outdoors at Portland International Raceway at 1940 North Victory Blvd in Portland. The PIR swap begins on Thursday, April 3 and runs through Saturday, April 5. The PIR swap is open from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. Admission is $13, but children under 12 are free. Parking on-site costs $15, and there is a shuttle bus up to the Expo Center.

The larger of the two events is the Portland Auto Swap Meet, held at the Portland Expo Center located just north of PIR at 2060 North Marine Drive. This massive swap meet fills all five exhibit halls as well as outdoor space in front of and behind the buildings. Vendors travel from across the western United States to sell at this event. The Portland Auto Swap Meet opens on Friday, April 4 from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, then on Saturday from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, and on Sunday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. Adult admission is $13, or $5 on Sunday. Children 12 and under are free.

Limited parking is available for $15 per day at both swap meet locations, with shuttles running constantly between the two venues. Parking passes are available for advance purchase through the Portland Expo Center website (expocenter.org), although savvy show-goers often park far away from PIR and the Expo Center and ride MAX to the events. There is a MAX stop at PIR and another at the Expo Center.

Full event details are available at portlandswapmeet.com and portlandraceway.com.