Special Events Intern

Overview

Turn5 is one of the largest and fastest growing e-commerce retailers in the Greater Philadelphia area.  Best known for our award-winning, e-commerce platforms, AmericanMuscle.com, ExtremeTerrain.com, and AmericanTrucks.com, we’ve been engaging muscle car, truck, and off-road enthusiasts with exceptional products, services, and experiences since 2004. With the acquisition of Eckler’s in 2022, a pioneer in classic car restoration & modification for over 60 years, Turn5’s catalog of brands has expanded to now offer aftermarket automotive products for vehicles as classic as the Model T.

Our purpose, however, extends beyond selling car parts. We have a commitment to creating meaningful customer experiences at every step of their journey. Whether it’s supplying a unique product that customizes the look and feel of their ride, providing thousands of educational videos for the DIYer or leveraging user generated content to inspire even the most experienced owner, we are obsessed with ensuring we reach as many like-minded gearheads across the globe.

As Turn5’s Special Events Coordinator Intern, you’ll help dream up, plan and execute Auto Show Week, one of the biggest and most exciting weeks of our year. You’ll brainstorm event ideas, help select décor, food, prizes and employee gifts, create signage and guest experiences and then help bring it all to life.

You won’t simply be handed a checklist of tasks. You’ll be invited into the planning process, encouraged to share your opinions and trusted with projects of your own. By the end of the internship, you’ll have hands-on experience with nearly every part of producing large-scale corporate and automotive events, from the first creative brainstorm to the final event day.

Auto Show Week includes three signature events, each offering a different type of hands-on experience:

• Annual Meeting and Reception: Help create an engaging experience for approximately 300 employees, some traveling in from across the country. You may help brainstorm the event theme, select employee gifts, plan food and refreshments, create décor and signage and assist with registration, communications and the overall attendee experience.
• Vendor Dinner: Help plan an elevated evening for approximately 150 of Turn5’s key vendor partners. You’ll contribute ideas for the venue experience, décor, menu, gifts and signage while assisting with guest details, vendor communication, setup and event-night logistics.
• throtl Throwdown: Help bring a large-scale automotive event for nearly 8,000 attendees to life. You will help coordinate day-of logistics across all event elements, including vendors, entertainment, signage, food and activations, for one of the largest automotive events of the year.

This internship is designed for someone who wants to be creative, contribute meaningful ideas and learn what it takes to turn those ideas into memorable experiences for employees, business partners and thousands of automotive enthusiasts.

Internship Dates

• Start Date: January 11, 2027
• End Date: May 28, 2027

Work Location and Schedule

This internship will be primarily remote, with occasional in-office days at Turn5’s headquarters in Paoli, Pennsylvania for creative planning sessions, team meetings, event preparation and hands-on projects. These days may vary depending on the needs of the events.

During Auto Show Week and the days leading up to it, the intern will be expected to work primarily in person at Turn5’s office and event locations. Some travel to the Auto Show venue in Mohnton, Pennsylvania will also be required in the weeks leading up to the event for walkthroughs, planning and setup.

This internship is going to be about:

• Participate in creative brainstorms and help develop themes, activities and memorable guest experiences
• Research and share ideas for event décor, prizes, giveaways, employee gifts and interactive activations
• Help select food and beverage options and provide input on event menus
• Assist with the development of creative signage, displays, event materials and communications
• Take the lead on assigned projects, with guidance from the events team, and help carry them from the initial idea through event-day execution.
• Participate in strategy and planning meetings, contribute ideas and help document decisions and next steps
• Research, evaluate and help secure vendors for entertainment, décor, rentals, food, tents, security and other event needs
• Communicate directly with Turn5’s partners and vendors regarding event details, donations and sponsorship opportunities
• Serve as a point of contact for hired vendors and help manage timelines, deliverables and event-day expectations
• Collaborate with internal teams including Marketing, Merchandising, Fulfillment, Customer Service, IT, Web Development and Finance
• Help create operational plans and easy-to-follow instruction sheets for different event areas
• Maintain project checklists, track deadlines and follow up with team members and vendors to keep plans moving
• Support employee communications, registration and travel coordination
• Help lead setup during the days leading up to Auto Show Week and see months of planning come together in real time
• Coordinate event logistics and serve as hands-on support during each event
• Help solve unexpected challenges and make quick adjustments when plans change
• Assist with post-event inventory, budget reconciliation and expense reimbursements

We can’t skip over some of the specific skills and experience we know are a “must” to be successful.  So, we need you to have:

• Previous event planning, hospitality, marketing or project coordination experience is preferred but not required
• Completion of one prior related internship is preferred
• Open to students of all majors with an interest in event planning, marketing, hospitality, communications or related work
• Creative thinker who is comfortable sharing ideas and opinions
• Strong organization, communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stay calm in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness to take ownership of projects, ask questions and follow through
• Detail-oriented, dependable and excited to be part of a collaborative team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Ability to lift up to 30 pounds
• Reliable transportation to Turn5’s office in Paoli, Pennsylvania and to event locations

Required Event Availability

Applicants must be available in person for all four days of Auto Show Week:

• Thursday, April 29, 2027: Annual Meeting and Reception
• Friday, April 30, 2027: Vendor Dinner
• Saturday, May 1, 2027: throtl Throwdown
• Sunday, May 2, 2027: throtl Throwdown rain date, if required

Applicants must also be available for scheduled setup days and occasional venue visits in the weeks leading up to the events.

If you’re looking for an internship where your ideas will be heard, your work will have a visible impact and you’ll get to help create events attended by everyone from Turn5 employees and business partners to thousands of automotive enthusiasts, we’d love to hear from you.